Reflect Orbital reveals 50,000 mirror satellite plan and California demo
A US startup called Reflect Orbital just showed off its idea to brighten up nights on Earth, using giant mirrors on 50,000 satellites that reflect sunlight down.
They even did a nighttime demo in California with big mobile lights to give people a taste of what it could look like.
The company says this tech could help with things like search-and-rescue missions and making solar energy available even after dark, but not everyone is convinced.
Environmentalists and astronomers urge more research
Environmentalists and astronomers are pushing back, saying all that extra light could mess with wildlife, throw off people's sleep cycles, and make it harder to see the stars.
Even though Reflect Orbital's proposal to launch an initial demonstration satellite next year got the green light from regulators in July 2026, critics want more research before anything goes further.
Reflect Orbital says it is talking with scientists and believes its idea could actually boost renewable energy use.
For now, the debate is just getting started.