#sunlightasaservice

"Four environmental organizations filed a petition Thursday asking the Federal Communications Commission 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." https://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/environmental-groups-challenge-fcc-approval-startups-plan-beam-demand-rcna591041 #Satellites #SpacePolicy #ReflectOrbital #SunlightAsAService #FCC

"'They're saying we want to launch 50,000 mirrors by 2035,' Benvenuti said. 'That would be catastrophic for astronomy, that is clear.'" https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/reflect-orbital-approval-fcc-9.7287535 #Astronomy #ReflectOrbital #SunlightAsAService #FCC #SpacePolicy

"#ReflectOrbital faces staunch opposition from many in the scientific community — including astronomers and scientists who told @MoneyWise@flipboard.com that the satellites could cause harm to life on Earth, pollute the night sky and pose, as Dr. Travis Longcore, co-chair of UCLA’s Environmental Science and Engineering Program, contended, 'an existential threat to optical astronomy.'" https://moneywise.com/news/top-stories/fcc-reflect-orbital-space-mirrors-sunlight-satellites #Space #Satellite #SunlightAsAService

"In Genesis, God said, 'Let there be light,' and then saw that 'the light was good.' Later this year, a satellite company called Reflect Orbital will attempt a similar miracle of illumination. Will it deliver too much of a good thing?" https://www.wsj.com/opinion/free-expression/goodbye-darkness-my-old-friend-5e54cdbf #Space #Satellites #SunlightAsAService

"Telescopes for amateur astronomers already come with a warning to avoid looking at the Sun. Now they will need another one for Reflect Orbital satellites." (via @skyandtelescope@bird.makeup) https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/observers-beware-reflect-orbitals-space-mirrors-approved-for-launch/ #Satellites #SpaceEnvironment #SunlightAsAService #Astronomy