Reflect Orbital CEO Ben Nowack disputes the findings of Kocifaj’s study on the potential environmental and astronomical impacts of space-based solar reflectors. “Some assumptions are simply inaccurate,” he says, adding that the company’s safety measures—including designated exclusion zones—account for light dispersal.
Nowack said Reflect Orbital has “substantially addressed the legitimate concerns raised by astronomers, environmental researchers and scientists.” He added that expert feedback has influenced the company’s technical designs and operational plans.
However, Kocifaj said Reflect Orbital has not released enough data to substantiate those assurances. “The company says safeguards exist, scatter is accounted for and models are updated, but it provides no numbers, no explanation of the model, no assumptions and no data,” he said. “There is nothing we can technically evaluate. Our calculations will provide a concrete number.”
Reflect Orbital plans to deploy satellites in highly inclined, near-polar orbits around Earth. By positioning orbital mirrors above the planet, the company aims to reflect sunlight toward selected locations before sunrise and after sunset, potentially extending daylight for solar power facilities and other users. Reflect Orbital has said that, at sufficient orbital altitude, its system could eventually provide sunlight around the clock to specific areas on Earth.
In August, organizations including DarkSky International and the American Bird Conservancy filed a complaint with the FCC seeking to review the approval of Reflect Orbital’s Eärendil-1 satellite. The groups cited potential impacts on astronomy, aviation and wildlife, along with concerns about light pollution from current and future space-based reflectors.
“Our main demands are simple and clear: rescind the agency’s order and require a legitimate public-interest review under NEPA,” the groups said in an official statement. NEPA refers to the National Environmental Policy Act, which requires federal agencies to assess the environmental effects of certain actions.
Reflect Orbital’s own FCC filings also acknowledge that its satellites could pose risks to human vision under certain conditions. In a March submission to the FCC, the company said Eärendil-1 could be visible through telescopes with apertures larger than 12 inches—equipment available to many amateur astronomers. The satellite could pose a risk to human eyes during direct observation, although Reflect Orbital said significant damage was unlikely because the satellite’s brightness would vary.
There is currently no global regulator dedicated to overseeing commercial satellites designed to reflect sunlight, leaving approval largely to national authorities such as the U.S. Federal Communications Commission. Michelle Hanlon, a space law specialist at the University of Mississippi School of Law, said Reflect Orbital’s proposal could offer “real benefits.” She noted that the technology might extend solar power generation after sunset and deliver illumination to remote communities or areas affected by natural disasters.
Source: www.technologyreview.com