{
  "id": 3543001,
  "title": "Massive space mirrors could be 40 times brighter than the full moon, astronomers warn. 'It will be worse than big cities like London'",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/26/massive-space-mirrors-could-be-40-times-brighter-than-the-full-moon",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-26T16:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Space.com",
    "slug": "space-com",
    "url": "https://www.space.com/space-exploration/satellites/massive-space-mirrors-could-be-40-times-brighter-than-the-full-moon-astronomers-warn-it-will-be-worse-than-big-cities-like-london"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A new study has raised concerns over the potential brightness of space mirrors proposed by U.S.-based startup Reflect Orbital. Each of their sun-reflecting mirrors would be 40 times brighter than the full moon, creating a night sky so bright it would resemble twilight. Professor Gaspar Bakos of Princeton University, one of the study's authors, explained that the light pollution from these mirrors would completely erase stars from the sky beneath them. The company recently received a license from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to launch a demonstration satellite equipped with a 60 by 60 feet (18 by 18 meters) mirror. However, the proposal has sparked outrage among astronomers, environmental campaigners, and commercial pilot associations who fear the adverse effects on the night sky if the FCC approves the launch of 40,000 larger mirrors in the future. The researchers calculated that to activate solar panels, Reflect Orbital would need the combined light from at least 400 mirrors, which would make the night sky 10,000 times brighter than the full moon. Even the most efficient solar panels would barely turn on under such conditions. The researchers warn that the sky glow from these combined beams would be visible from 50 miles away and extend the twilight zone up to 9 miles (14 kilometers) from the beam, effectively turning the night sky into a star-free twilight zone.",
  "summary": "Sun-reflecting space mirrors proposed by U.S. startup Reflect Orbital will have an even more devastating effect on the night sky around the world than previously thought, a study has found.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}