Object Mirrors: Dangerous Project That Converts Night to Sun

Humanity is in battle with darkness since he found fire. But today this battle is in the case that the sky from the earth moved to the orbital world. This "lighting the sky" race, which pioneers initiatives such as California-based Reflect Orbital, has not only energy efficiency, but also the potential to sagging the biological rhythm of our planet.

What is Reflect Orbital?

Reflect OrbitalThe main purpose of ’ is to send sunlight on request to certain zones through reflective satellites to be deployed to low World orbit. Thus, nighttime solar power plants can be operated, disaster zones can be lighted or can get additional light support for large agricultural lands. In theory, this system can start a new era in terms of continuity of energy.

But the matter is not only technology. Because the sky is the common heritage of mankind. Each new satellite covering stars is not only a metal object, but also interfere with the rhythm of nature.

A scenario that only scientists in the past can imagine is preparing to step into reality today. Hawthorne, California-based venture Reflect Orbital plans to direct sunlight to the dark side of the Earth by talking giant mirrors in orbit, and sell it as optional sunscreen from hour 5,000 dollars. However, scientists say that this visible bright project can give extremely dark results for nature.

Ben Nowack, the founder of the company, summarizes the project with the following words: "Solar feeds nine nine percent of life on earth." Reflect Orbital, which took place with this motivation, aims to establish a satellite constellation consisting of mirrors of about 18x18 meters. These mirrors will reflect the sunlight to the specific points of the world at night time and allow solar farms to produce energy in the dark and to illuminate space in emergency operations.

Earendil-1, the company’s first prototype satellite, was designed to sit in orbit at a slope of 88 degrees, at the height of 625 kilometers, and is planned to be launched in 2026. Long-term goal is to create a fleet consisting of mirror satellite from 4,000 to 50,000 by 2035. Reflect Orbital with this number will add five times more "artificial stars" sky than real stars that can be seen in the eye.

Commercial size of work: "Solar light on request"

The company positions this service as a cloud infrastructure. Agricultural companies can extend growth season; energy providers reduce intensive load costs; urban management can apply to service to illuminate space in emergency situations. More than 250.000 applications are reported. What there is a serious question signs in the shade of this bright table.

Light Pollution and Health: A Quiet Felake Tags

Light pollution is considered as one of the most common environmental problems in the modern world. The streets of cities, billboards and artificial lighting that do not be exploited throughout the night already weakened natural darkness. The Reflect Orbital project has the risk of leaving this existing problem on a local scale and carrying it to a planetary size. President of the Canadian Chronbiology Association, The Guardian in the evaluation of the newspaper,

“Our biological clocks are even sensitive to light levels that people perceive brightly. If the night sky is permanently enlightened, the reflections of this ecosystem can reach the dimensions we have not yet understood exactly. ”

used expressions. This assessment shows that the issue is not only human comfort, but it is related to the rhythm of the entire living life. Home European Society of Biological RitimsHeads of four international science associations representing 2,500 researchers from more than 30 countries, including Japan Kronobiyology Association and Canada Kronobiology Association, pened joint letters from the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Biological clock intervention: Night blind alarm of the body

The neurologist Joanna Fong-Isariyawongse from University Pittsburgh explains the issue with an extremely striking benzoization: The results of the project can be benzene to the application of the summer time each spring, but this time is permanent and over the planet. There are decades of research showing that the summer time application leads to blood circulation diseases, metabolic disorders and cognitive function losses. Artificial night light is associated with chronic sleep disorders, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, obesity and depression.

According to Jamie Zeitzer, professor of psychiatric at Stanford University, these effects can leak into every ring of the food chain: migration routes of animals, feeding cycles and reproductive processes are directly affected by artificial light. From sea turtles to pusuya-blooded birds can enter the danger of numerous species of varolsal balance, from the bolbülden honey, which uses the night sky as a navigation map.

Royal Astronomy Association Robert Massey, Deputy General Manager, characterizes the project as "end of ground-based astronomy". 50,000 mirrors can make the research infrastructure that the federals invest billions by viewing telescope images.

Space Mining and Law: Who's Property?

Reflect Orbital’s project remains missing only as a scientific or technological issue, as well as deep, multi-layered and yet a serious legal gap that has not been resolved on the international scale. The use of the world orbital for commercial purposes, lightening of the sky, the rights of the countries on the night celestials and common How to evaluate space areas by private companies The questions such as are clearly associated with existing law systems. Therefore, the discussion is not only a matter of innovation; by who of space in the future, which limits and what kind of ethical responsibilities will be used in a global management problem.

FCC limited jurisdiction and environmental law deficit

In US FCC, The satellite stands out as the institution that regulates the launch and business authority, but the inspection area of the FCC mainly covers the radio frequency initiative, the environmental impact of the light reflected on the Earth surface of a satellite remains outside this scope. What’s more space tools from the US National Environmental Policy Actndan (NEPA) is generally exempted. This means that regulators do not have to fully evaluate environmental effects before confirming the project.

American Astronomical Association (AAS) petitioned the FCC to reject the Earendil-1 application of Reflect Orbital. Petition is the following statement: "The project seriously threatens the billions of dollar investment in the astronomical research infrastructure of the federal." On the other hand DarkSky International Public Environmental Liability Employees (PEER) organization also argues that the project should be subjected to a comprehensive environmental assessment before the launch.

"View" problem of space law u

1967 Foreign Space TreatyThe space defines the space as "the common heritage of humanity" and prohibits the presence of no state in the claim of domination. However, the space of private companies has not predicted the possibility of systematically commercialization; therefore, severe legal spaces have been left in this area. In other words, Reflect Orbital is trying to build its own commercial layout in a space "nobody has"; the price of that scheme is paid by all humanity.

This issue is overlapping directly with space mining discussions. The regulations on the source interest on Asteroid mining or month have not yet gained clarity on the international scale now a orbital mirror should put the trade law on the table. Who will decide which state will be illuminated at night? Which legal security will apply to the remaining communities outside the grid?

Right of darkness

Reflect Orbital’s proposal is a unique idea that will contribute to renewable energy transition, which can not be denied. Providing uninterruptedness of solar energy can be a meaningful solution for areas where energy storage infrastructure is not yet ripening. What’s the bill of this opportunity, allowing unwanted billions of live.

The world of science says: Night, not a black cavity, is part of a biological cycle that life itself needs. Dark is a universal shelter, where man and nature are repaired, rested, prepared for the next day. This shelter is an uncertain experiment of planetary scale, return under the name "optional sunshade".

As DarkSky International and AAS also emphasizes, not only a few bright spots, but the future of the night sky that all mankind share. Before explaining the FCC decision, expecting answers to these questions is both legal and moral necessity.

Reflect Orbital project shows that human intelligence is not limited. But everything possible is not what to do. It can be achieved technically to turn the night to the day, but the price of the nature can be very heavy.

Perhaps the main need of mankind is not to destroy darkness; it is to understand its value again. Because some things are not light, they only appear with night.