Tech & Science
Reflect Orbital Plans to Launch 50,000 Mirror Satellites to Light Up Earth's Night
Reflect Orbital, a California-based start-up, plans to deploy up to 50,000 mirror satellites in Earth's orbit to redirect sunlight toward the planet's night side. The FCC, the US telecommunications regulator, approved a prototype despite receiving 1,800 objections from opponents. According to the start-up, the officially stated applications are powering solar panels and providing emergency relief during disasters. However, analysis by Germany's Die Zeit magazine suggests that the dark night could vanish within a decade—without any international body currently regulating these significant risks.