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Scientists Warn 'Sunlight on Demand' Will Disrupt Sleep
6 Apr
Summary
- Startup plans 50,000 orbital mirrors for 'sunlight on demand'.
- Scientists fear widespread disruption to sleep and ecosystems.
- Regulators are considering orbital applications without environmental review.
A California-based startup, Reflect Orbital, is seeking permission to launch a prototype mirror into orbit to beam sunlight back to Earth, with plans for a constellation of 50,000 mirrors by 2035. This initiative, dubbed 'sunlight on demand,' aims to power solar plants 24/7 and illuminate disaster areas. However, leading scientists and presidents of international scientific societies have raised serious concerns in letters to the FCC.
These experts warn that the large-scale deployment of orbital mirrors could significantly alter the natural night-time light environment globally. This alteration poses a threat to biological rhythms, potentially disrupting sleep, hormone production, animal migration, and plant cycles. The scientific community urges regulators to conduct a full environmental review and establish limits on satellite reflectivity.
Concerns also extend to the potential impact on ground-based astronomy, as bright spacecraft could interfere with telescopic observations. Critics highlight that the FCC's current policy does not consider space-based activities as subject to environmental review. The campaign group DarkSky emphasizes the risks to wildlife and ecosystems dependent on natural light-dark cycles, alongside public safety implications.
