Will We Have On-Demand Sunlight After Dark by 2026? Discover What’s Next! – The Tribune

A new project by Reflect Orbital is raising alarms among astronomers. This US startup aims to create satellites that intentionally produce light pollution. Their goal is to beam sunlight down to Earth, making solar farms operational even after sunset.

The company plans to kick off with a test satellite, Earendil-1, measuring 18 meters. They also envision launching around 4,000 satellites by 2030. But will these satellites work as promised?

### How It Works

Reflect Orbital’s satellites will use mirrors to direct sunlight to specific areas on the ground, similar to how you might reflect light off a watch face. However, because these satellites will orbit about 625 kilometers above Earth, the scale of the operation is massive. Each mirror can be up to 54 meters wide.

When the satellites reflect sunlight, that beam spreads out as it travels. If a satellite is illuminated at an angle, the area affected on the ground can be as large as 7 kilometers across. The brightness? It will be about 15,000 times dimmer than midday sun—but still far brighter than a full moon.

### Early Testing

Reflect Orbital’s founder, Ben Nowack, conducted a preliminary test using a 2.5-meter mirror on a hot air balloon. This test showed a light intensity of 516 watts per square meter, about half of what the midday sun provides. Unfortunately, scaling this up to an 800-kilometer distance would require impractically large reflectors, measuring up to 6.5 kilometers square.

### The Ambition and Challenges

Reflect Orbital aims to create “simple satellites in the right constellation” to illuminate solar farms with 200 watts per square meter. But even if they deploy 3,000 satellites, each only beams light for a few minutes over any given location, making it unlikely to achieve their goals efficiently.

Nowack suggests a total of 250,000 satellites might be needed. However, that number exceeds all currently cataloged satellites in orbit today.

### Light Pollution Issues

If these satellites succeed, the consequences could be severe. Even a single one could be much brighter than a full moon. This brightness would disrupt not only stargazing but also wildlife, as increased light can interfere with natural behaviors like migration and mating.

Astronomers worry that these beams could damage their telescopes. The bright spots could risk permanent eye damage, potentially wiping out years of scientific progress in understanding the universe.

### Looking Ahead

Despite their ambitious plans, Reflect Orbital has not responded to concerns raised by experts. They claim they will make efforts to redirect sunlight in a “brief, predictable, and targeted” manner. However, the potential for unintentional light pollution remains high.

As they move to launch their test satellite, many are watching closely. If successful, Reflect Orbital could change how we think about solar energy—but at what cost to our night sky?

This project serves as a reminder that innovative solutions can have unintended consequences. As we look to the future, it’s essential to balance technological progress with environmental and scientific integrity.



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