Musk's AI satellites could cool Earth, but at what cost?
Elon Musk is floating a bold idea: launching a large constellation of solar-powered satellites, all managed by AI, to help fight global warming.
He says these satellites could make "tiny adjustments in how much solar energy reached Earth," offering a high-tech alternative to traditional geoengineering methods.
Controlling the system and side effects are big challenges
The plan is to use thousands of AI-controlled satellites in space to tweak the sunlight hitting Earth.
While research suggests this could lower global temperatures by 1-2°C, it would cost over $100 billion and comes with big challenges, like who gets to control the system and potential side effects for different regions.
SpaceX has faced environmental hurdles
It's worth noting that SpaceX, Musk's rocket company, has faced its own environmental hurdles—from damaging wildlife habitats in Texas during launches to having military tests paused over concerns for protected species.
Still, SpaceX remains a top pick for future projects involving rapid space-based deliveries.