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In California's Night Sky, 'Blinding' Daylight
Newser • • technology
Key Points:
- Reflect Orbital, a US startup, conducted a ground test near California's Sierra Nevada, using giant mirrors to reflect sunlight onto Earth at night, creating beams described as "blinding" by locals.
- The company plans to launch 50,000 satellites equipped with mirrors to provide nighttime illumination for purposes such as search-and-rescue, farming, street lighting, and military use, with an FCC-approved demo satellite expected in 2027.
- The October 10 test was conducted in partnership with China Lake Mountain Rescue, allowing them to practice operations in artificial daylight conditions during the night.
- Environmentalists and astronomers strongly oppose the project, warning it could disrupt wildlife, human sleep patterns, and astronomical observations, with critics calling it harmful to Earth's natural day-night cycle.
