A US space technology start-up plans to provide on-demand sunlight at night by deploying massive reflecting mirrors in orbit, with India's Skyroot Aerospace set to launch two satellites for the project using its Vikram rockets.
California-based Reflect Orbital aims to deploy a constellation of satellites that can illuminate specific locations on Earth for applications ranging from search and rescue operations in disaster zones to extending power generation hours at solar farms.
The start-up has signed a contract with Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace for two launches aboard its Vikram rockets.
“These launches give us assured schedule and capacity alongside our other planned launches from US sites,” Reflect Orbital said in a statement.
“Excited to partner with Reflect Orbital, pioneering one of the most innovative ways to harness space technology to unlock new possibilities here on Earth! Looking forward to launching their vision of sunshine on demand with @SkyrootA rockets,” Skyroot Aerospace CEO Pawan Chandana said in a post on X.
The company aims to provide adjustable sunlight over a five-km swathe, with the illumination capable of being switched off at any time. The service could help extend work hours in remote industrial zones, support defence operations by illuminating critical infrastructure and create what the company describes as “unforgettable experiences” at public events.
In July, Reflect Orbital received approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to construct, launch and operate a demonstration satellite.
“We're excited to work with a new launch provider, Skyroot, to help ensure access to space," Reflect Orbital Co-Founder and CEO Ben Nowack said in a statement.
The first launch under the contract will use Skyroot's Vikram-1 rocket, while the second will use the company's Vikram-1U launch vehicle, which is under development. The Vikram-1U features additional first-stage boosters and improved performance, the statement said.
"We were recently licensed by the Federal Communications Commission to operate our first spacecraft, and we will continue to work with astronomers, local communities and regulators to earn the right to scale," Nowack said.
The concept of reflecting sunlight from space has been tested before. In 1993, Russian scientists and engineers deployed a 65-foot mirror into orbit and directed a moving beam of sunlight onto Earth. Although the experiment, named Znamya, was successful, it was shelved due to a lack of funds.
Reflect Orbital's plans have also faced opposition, with several environmental organisations urging the FCC to revoke the permissions granted for the demonstration satellite.
The organisations have raised concerns that bright beams of light at night could disturb wildlife, interfere with astronomical studies and affect circadian rhythms in humans.