Mirrors in Space? The FCC Just Approved a Sun-Reflecting Satellite, and Astronomers Are Worried
For now, a single satellite has been cleared for a test demonstration, but the company making it hopes to eventually launch 50,000 of them into orbit.
4 min read
When humans mess with the sun in science fiction, it's often when a supervillain covers it up and imposes permanent darkness. A space tech company called Reflect Orbital wants to do the opposite: bring sunlight to the dark side of Earth courtesy of satellites equipped with giant mirrors. The FCC approved a single satellite as a test demonstration on Thursday, and many scientists are already unhappy about it.
The approval green-lights Reflect Orbital to send its Eärendil-1 satellite into orbit. It's a relatively small spacecraft, weighing 142 kilograms (313 pounds).
Housed in its body is a thin-film square mirror measuring 18 meters by 18 meters (about 60 feet by 60 feet). The satellite is scheduled to launch into space on a...
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