Also sunlight at night? This company wants to use reflective satellites

The company Reflect Orbital is working on a satellite that can reflect sunlight so that the world can also receive sunlight at night. The US has approved the technology, but experts warn. During the day it is light outside, and at night it is dark. Except for a few places in the world, that is the truth we have lived with since time immemorial. But that doesn’t have to be the case, Reflect Orbital claims. They want to reflect sunlight so that it can also illuminate dark places on Earth – for example during the night.

Satellite reflecting sunlight

They want to do this with a satellite called Eärendil-1. Once in space, this satellite can unfold a gigantic reflective surface to then reflect captured sunlight to specific places on Earth. But who wants daylight at night? Well, quite a few sectors, Reflect Orbital claims. Consider, for example, agriculture, where 24 hours of daylight can ensure that crops grow faster and therefore more income is generated. It can also offer benefits in the humanitarian field. Suppose a rescue operation is being set up and it is nighttime. Because the satellite could reflect daylight in a very targeted manner to a specific location, the rescue operation or a search for a missing person could also continue during the night. Another option is to aim the satellite specifically at solar parks. This way, panels can capture much more sunlight and power generation can continue throughout the night.

Proponents and opponents

So enough advantages. The American authorities also seem convinced of this and watchdog Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has given permission for the launch of the satellite. This is still an initial test, and the satellite should go into space later this year. The goal is to eventually have 50,000 of them floating in orbit around the Earth. Despite the permission that Reflect Orbital has received for the launch of the test satellite, there has also been a lot of criticism about the project. It is suggested that it remains to be seen how precise the satellites are, and that it is also possible that much larger surfaces than intended are illuminated. Are you just about to get a good night’s sleep and the sun is shining outside? There is also the fear that experimenting with sunlight can disrupt the daytime cycle of plants, animals and even people. Not only because everything on Earth is used to a regular day and night cycle and everything is tailored to that, but also because it can possibly even be dangerous to look at the reflecting sunlight – for example when using telescopes. Speaking of which: it can also have a negative impact on the large space telescopes that we use to study the universe. For example, all the sunlight that is reflected back could limit our ability to view space and reduce the brightness of the universe and the stars within it. The FCC has no interest in this yet. Reflect Orbital would work closely with NASA to ensure that astronomy is not compromised. The company also claims that it will specifically prohibit “vulnerable” environments from obstructing reflective daylight. In any case, it is an interesting development that could have great benefits for humanity – as long as possible disadvantages continue to be carefully monitored.