Reflect Orbital’s mission is to illuminate the Earth’s nighttime zones.
Credit: Jesper Klausen/Science Photo Library
In a groundbreaking initiative, a risky plan to transform nighttime into daylight is nearing fruition. Recently, U.S. authorities granted approval for a project aimed at deploying a massive mirror in space, which will reflect sunlight onto the Earth’s shadowed regions. The startup leading this venture intends to place 50,000 mirrors in orbit by 2035, providing “midday light” to select locations.
Based in Hawthorne, California, Reflect Orbital promises to create “clean, abundant energy on demand.” The company asserts that the “daytime” areas generated could boost agricultural yields, enhance natural disaster relief efforts, and enable solar panels to produce electricity during the night.
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However, numerous astronomers are concerned that the beams emitted from these orbiting mirrors may disrupt sensitive telescope equipment and escalate light pollution. “Deploying 50,000 satellites would jeopardize ground-based astronomy, potentially ending optical astronomy as we know it,” warns Roohi Dalal, associate director for public policy at the American Astronomical Society in Washington, D.C.
A spokesperson from Reflect Orbital countered that such claims illustrate a misunderstanding of their technology, asserting that they have instituted safeguards to prevent interference with astronomical research. The company has engaged with scientists and plans ongoing consultations, stating, “Feedback from the astronomy community is significantly shaping our spacecraft design and operational strategies.”
Here’s an overview of Reflect Orbital’s aspirations and the considerations from the scientific community:
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Following approval by the US Federal Communications Commission on July 9, Reflect Orbital plans to launch its inaugural artificial satellite, Eärendil-1, into an orbit 625 kilometers above the Earth’s surface later this year. The satellite, roughly the size of a compact refrigerator, will deploy a mirror equivalent to a tennis court yet 28 times thinner than a human hair. These mirrors will be directed into sunlight at various test locations, allowing the Reflect Orbital team to assess the deployment and pointing mechanisms. The initial mirror is designed to illuminate an approximate area of 24 square kilometers of the Earth’s surface, with the capability to switch off the light as needed.
“This initial satellite will serve as a proving ground, providing us the opportunity to demonstrate how we can positively impact the world without directing our light where it is unwanted,” states Ben Nowak, co-founder and CEO of Reflect Orbital. He notes that the team has developed numerous mirror prototypes and has plans for further test launches, collaborating with independent researchers to evaluate the effectiveness of their technology.
Challenges and Considerations for this Technology
The entire mission is considered “extremely risky, but we are willing to confront that challenge directly,” Nowak asserts.
Like other satellite operations, even a minor error in hardware or software can lead to mirror deployment failures. “Simplicity is appealing,” comments Darren McKnight, a senior technical researcher at LeoLab, a spacecraft and debris tracking company based in Menlo Park, California.
Moreover, once the mirror is deployed, Reflect Orbital must vigilantly track debris from other spacecraft orbiting Earth, as collisions with millimeter- or centimeter-sized debris are probable. Repeated impacts on a sensitive mirror could significantly diminish its effectiveness. Additionally, this operational altitude is populated with high concentrations of atomic oxygen, a reactive substance that can erode spacecraft surfaces and harm mirrors.
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Source: www.nature.com