Four environmental organizations filed a petition Thursday asking the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to reverse approval of a startup’s plan to beam on-demand sunlight from space to Earth, arguing the agency ignored the project’s potential impacts on wildlife, astronomy research and eye safety.DarkSky International, Environment America, the American Bird Conservancy, and Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility called on the FCC to overturn a July decision approving Reflect Orbital to launch its Earendil-1 demonstration satellite, which will carry a 59-foot-wide mirror to reflect sunlight onto a specific spot on the planet during periods of darkness.While the FCC approved only a single test mission, the groups argue it could pave the way for a much larger constellation of satellites in the future.“It is the Wild West in space right now, and corporations like Reflect Orbital are rushing to fill the gap,” said Earthjustice attorney Jan Hasselman, who described the company’s proposal as “a uniquely bad idea.”Reflect Orbital’s goal is to provide customers with sunlight whenever it’s needed, without being limited by time of day, geography or infrastructure on the ground.
Reflect Orbital envisions operating a megaconstellation of more than 50,000 satellites by 2035, and has said it would avoid lighting sensitive environments or areas designated for astronomy.The company has also said the reflected sunlight can be adjusted or turned on and off by rotating the satellite in orbit.
According to the FCC’s order authorizing the mission, Earendil-1 will test whether a satellite can reflect sunlight onto a specific area on Earth at night.The in-space mirror is designed to focus a roughly 3.1-mile-wide beam of light onto the ground from an altitude of around 400 miles.
NBC News reached out to the Federal Communications Commission for comment but did not immediately receive a response.Reflect Orbital declined to comment on the newly filed pe...