Start-up plan to 'sell sunlight' with satellite mirrors concerns environmental groups

A Californian start-up, Reflect Orbital, has sparked controversy by proposing to sell sunlight via satellites orbiting the Earth. Founded in 2021, the company, backed by investors such as Sequoia Capital and Starship Ventures, aims to redirect sunlight to meet various needs, including lighting and energy generation. The US Federal Communications Commission has given its approval for Reflect Orbital’s Earendil-1 satellite prototype, which features a mirror to reflect sunlight.

However, environmental groups, including Earthjustice, DarkSky International, Environment America, American Bird Conservancy, and Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, have filed a complaint. They argue that the launch of the satellite prototype could pose significant threats to astronomy, wildlife, and human health.

The groups claim that the unnatural 5km-wide beam of light emitted by the satellite could interrupt the natural behaviors of nocturnal animals, including reproduction, orientation, feeding, and pollination. Additionally, they warn that the light could disrupt human sleep patterns, altering circadian rhythms and suppressing melatonin production.

Reflect Orbital’s business model involves selling sunlight at night for purposes like replacing streetlights, extending outdoor work hours, and powering solar arrays. Unlike traditional artificial lighting, the company’s satellites will not require electricity poles and wires; instead, they will redirect reflected sunlight from space.

The company’s website showcases various illustrations of the potential impact, depicting farms, ports, beaches, and towns illuminated while remaining surrounded by darkness. Despite the ongoing controversy, Reflect Orbital remains committed to testing its technology and implementing safety measures, with plans to launch two satellites by the end of the year and potentially deploying up to 50,000 satellites across low-earth orbit by 2035.