Scientists Warn That New Satellites Could Cause Eye Damage for People on the Ground
Terrifying. The post Scientists Warn That New Satellites Could Cause Eye Damage for People on the Ground appeared first on Futurism .
The Federal Communications Commission has greenlit an experimental satellite from Reflect Orbital that has sparked concern over potential eye damage for individuals on the ground. The satellite, known as Eärendil-1, is designed to reflect sunlight at night to illuminate areas for solar farms and emergency situations. Astronomers have vehemently criticized the proposal, with the FCC receiving over 2,000 public comments voicing their opposition.
The primary worry is that the satellite's brightness could disrupt deep space observations and potentially blind those using 12-inch telescopes, which is considered a significant risk to human health. This risk has been known for decades, as demonstrated by a 2000 research article on the potential damage from a similar Russian prototype, Znamya.
Reflect Orbital has promised to discuss safety measures with stakeholders, but experts remain skeptical due to the numerous uncontrollable variables, such as atmospheric light scattering and cloud interactions. The deployment of such bright satellites could also disrupt sleep patterns and the circadian rhythms of migratory species.
Critics argue that the proliferation of satellites in low Earth orbit poses a threat to human heritage, potentially "utterly destroying" the natural night-time light environment.
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