ScienceABC News & Headlines

Reflect Orbital wants to turn night into day with mirrors in space. The question is why?

Reflect Orbital has won initial approval for a plan to put thousands of mirrors in orbit that would be visible from anywhere on Earth. But will anyone pay for sunlight?

Full story at ABC News & Headlines

What readers are saying

nev51
The engineering proposal itself is sound in principle, but the regulatory framework is the real problem here. Who approves what gets launched into low Earth orbit? The FCC approved this, yet the sleep scientists and chronobiologists are raising legitimate concerns about circadian disruption in humans and nocturnal wildlife. That's a fundamental gap in the approval process. Before we launch 50,000 mirrors, we need proper international coordination on orbital traffic management.
geoff59
So they're basically selling sunlight to solar farms that don't work at night. Fair enough in theory, but who's actually paying for this service? The Crown Prince of Dubai expressed interest but that's not a contract. The venture capitalists threw $28 million at it, which tells you they think there's money to be made, but I don't see the business model spelled out here. Sounds like vaporware to me.
doug_toow
50,000 mirrors in the sky? What could go wrong there. These two blokes come up with an idea and suddenly everyone's excited. I run a workshop for 40 years and learned that the simplest solution is usually the right one. You want more solar power at night? Use batteries. Store the excess during the day like everyone else is doing. This is just Silicon Valley lads wanting to tinker with things they don't understand. Who cleans all those mirrors? Who pays when one falls on your house?
Normaw
Oh my, so they want to make it daylight at night time? That sounds very confusing for sleeping. What about the birds? Do they not think about the birds waking up too early.
RosieL
Honestly, the idea of having permanent daylight, even just for an hour, is just so unsettling. My kids, especially the little ones, rely on that darkness to feel safe and settle down. Their routines are already so fragile, and messing with something as basic as night and day... people dont understand the impact on vulnerable kids. Imagine the confusion for kids who struggle enough with what's real and what isn't. Heartbreaking to think about. ❤️

More from Cuppa

Trump says he will demand some childhood vaccines be split into five shots

Trump says he will push vaccine makers to split some childhood vaccines into five smaller doses, claiming it will reduce autism, with no scientific evidence cited.

Coronation Street legend Stephanie Cole dead at 84

British actress Stephanie Cole, best known for Coronation Street, Doc Martin and Waiting for God, has died at the age of 84.

Donald Trump says he is banning CNN, Politico and MS NOW from White House

Trump announced he is banning CNN, Politico and MSNBC from the White House, claiming they report lies about his administration.

Apple's iPhone 18 goes on sale as customers line up at stores worldwide

Apple's iPhone 18 is now on sale worldwide, starting at $1,199 for the Pro model, with a new AI-powered Siri and upgraded camera features.

Are tea, coffee, red meat and alcohol giving you dangerous levels of iron?

A new review finds that what you eat and drink, including tea, coffee, red meat and alcohol, can affect how much iron your body absorbs, which matters if you have iron overload.

NASA spacecraft discovers a huge new crater on the moon

NASA found a massive new moon crater bigger than the Roman Colosseum, caused by an asteroid or comet impact two years ago that nobody noticed at the time.

Google's new 'CC' is an AI agent that helps families run their households

Google has relaunched its CC AI agent as a household organiser for families, helping manage schedules, school emails, meal plans and shared to-do lists.

SpaceX to fly more NASA crews to space station under expanded $5.92 billion deal

NASA has handed SpaceX a $946 million contract for three more astronaut missions to the International Space Station, extending the partnership through 2030.

Back to the feed