this post was submitted on 06 Nov 2025
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Controversial startup's plan to 'sell sunlight' using giant mirrors in space would be 'catastrophic' and 'horrifying,' astronomers warn (www.livescience.com)
submitted 14 hours ago by themachinestops@lemmy.dbzer0.com to c/technology@lemmy.world
77 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

https://archive.ph/3WZrp

California-based startup Reflect Orbital aims to build a swarm of 4,000 giant mirrors in low Earth orbit to "sell sunlight" to customers at night. Experts warn that the mirrors could mess with telescopes, blind stargazers and impact the environment.

Reflect Orbital, which was founded in 2021, has recently taken the first step in a scheme to sell sunlight at night by bouncing solar rays off giant "reflectors" that can redirect the vital resource almost anywhere on our planet. By doing this, the company aims to extend daylight hours in specific locations, thus allowing paying customers to generate solar power, grow crops and replace urban lighting.

But experts say it is a wildly impractical plan that should never get off the ground. What's more, the resulting light pollution could devastate ground-based astronomy, distract aircraft pilots and even blind stargazers.

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[–] Jax@sh.itjust.works 7 points 14 hours ago (3 children)

Hey so, this might seem pretty extreme but um....

People who even attempt to steal sunlight should die. I don't care how, they should just be dead.

[–] dual_sport_dork@lemmy.world 3 points 12 hours ago

Then you should fund my plan to build a giant magnifying glass and attach it to a blimp. Then we can fly over the ne'er-do-wells and zorch them.

[–] TrojanRoomCoffeePot@lemmy.world 2 points 11 hours ago

Real talk; if someone who knows these supervillain-level lunatics could do the entire planet a solid and break their arms, I'd really appreciate it.

[–] Bo7a@piefed.ca 2 points 13 hours ago

Agreed.