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

A Californian start-up called Reflect Orbital has unveiled a plan to sell sunlight from orbit via satellite mirrors, sparking concerns from environmental groups. Founded in 2021, the company has secured backing from investors such as Sequoia Capital and Starship Ventures to develop a constellation of satellites capable of redirecting sunlight to Earth for various applications, including large-scale lighting and energy generation.

The US Federal Communications Commission approved Reflect Orbital's satellite, Earendil-1, in July, bringing the company closer to its goal. However, Earthjustice, DarkSky International, Environment America, the American Bird Conservancy, and Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility have filed a complaint, arguing that the technology poses significant environmental risks.

The petition claims that the Earendil-1 satellite's reflective mirror could disrupt astronomy, endanger wildlife, and cause harm to human health, particularly due to the unnatural 5km-wide beam of light it would emit.

The groups argue that the beam risks disrupting the reproduction, orientation, feeding, and pollinator-plant or predator-prey relationships of nocturnal animals, which make up a third of vertebrates and a majority of invertebrates. They also claim that the artificial light could interfere with human sleep patterns, alter natural circadian rhythms, and suppress melatonin production.

Reflect Orbital's website states that their approach differs from traditional artificial lighting, as their satellites use reflectors to redirect sunlight rather than relying on electricity poles and wires. They claim that the reflected sunlight is natural light redirected from space with mirrors and that the light will not spill out of the defined service area.

The company's renderings depict scenarios where farms, ports, beaches, and towns are illuminated while surrounded by darkness, with promises to extend work hours, seasons, and boost crop yields.

Despite these claims, the company has not commented on the petition. Its statement emphasized that the FCC license marks the first step toward testing their technology's efficacy and the safeguards they have developed. Reflect Orbital aims to have two satellites orbiting Earth by the end of the year and could potentially have up to 50,000 in low-earth orbit by 2035.