Startup proposes selling orbital sunlight for $5,000 an hour

Reflect Orbital, a California-based startup, is developing a satellite constellation designed to redirect sunlight to specific locations on Earth during nighttime hours. The company, led by former SpaceX employee Ben Nowack, aims to offer a service that provides artificial light at a reported cost of $5,000 per hour for each mirror.

The project involves a plan to deploy 50,000 satellites by 2035. Each unit would feature a 59-foot steerable film reflector capable of casting a 3-mile-wide beam of light.

The initiative faces opposition from organizations including DarkSky International, the International Astronomical Union, the American Bird Conservancy, the Royal Astronomical Society, and Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility. Critics argue that the artificial light could disrupt nocturnal wildlife, interfere with astronomical research, and affect human circadian rhythms. Princeton University astrophysicist Gaspar Bakos stated that the project ignores progress made in preserving the night sky, while another researcher described the plan as akin to a bullet in the head.

Nowack has defended the project, noting that the company intends to serve only about 200 sites globally to meet its business model. He stated that the technology could support search-and-rescue operations, illuminate disaster zones, and assist solar energy production at solar farms after dark.