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 1 day ago by themachinestops@lemmy.dbzer0.com to c/technology@lemmy.world
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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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[–] jim3692@discuss.online 12 points 12 hours ago (2 children)

If I understand correctly, those mirrors will reflect sun rays, that would otherwise be wasted across the universe, to earth.

So, you are fundamentally wrong. The very idea is to reflect sunlight that wouldn't otherwise hit the planer. This WILL add extra energy to the planet.

Even if they used sunlight that bounces off earth, they would still cause issues, just a little less serious. This is because they would be trapping energy that tries to leave the earth.

[–] yermaw@sh.itjust.works 3 points 7 hours ago

Greenhouse ~~gases~~. Just greenhouse.