[ASA] American Astronomical Society Survey on Potential Impacts of Reflect Orbital's Proposed Satellite System

[Daniel Zucker]

Dear Colleagues,

The American Astronomical Society is conducting a survey of community views of the plans of Reflect Orbital<https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/cesKCMwGxOtz17wOEtwfLs8RPRu?domain=reflectorbital.com> to put mirrors in space to deliver reflected sunlight at night to (paying) customers.

This is not an April Fool’s joke: they are requesting authorisation from the US Federal Communications Commission to launch their first satellite in 2026.

From the AAS News Digest:

The AAS policy team is requesting input from the community regarding the potential impacts of Reflect Orbital’s proposed reflector satellites on astronomical research and night sky visibility. Reflect Orbital<https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/K4XqCNLJyQUj8zOlvU4hGsyWYDO?domain=rhpiczrab.cc.rs6.net> is a satellite company that plans to deliver sunlight at night by building a constellation of reflectors in low Earth orbit beginning in 2026, with the goal of 4,000 satellites in orbit by 2030. Each satellite is expected to reflect ~0.8 lux (4-5x the brightness of the full Moon) to a ~5 km diameter beam<https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/gDxRCOMKzVTvjM7RqCkiMsGtqRc?domain=rhpiczrab.cc.rs6.net> on Earth's surface.

Here is a link to more information and the AAS Survey form:

<https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/emyvCP7LAXf3RPjGysjsQsxnkHb?domain=docs.google.com>
[xV1H7uTNjEVKOCI7hoHbRv1eHFaksrmSdyCqD_x3BvO5VP6IcH_CEbu06ws7TUwR18PY6RDWZTgyXrU=w1200-h630-p.png]
Assessing Astronomical Impacts of Reflect Orbital’s Proposed Satellite System<https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/emyvCP7LAXf3RPjGysjsQsxnkHb?domain=docs.google.com>
docs.google.com<https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/emyvCP7LAXf3RPjGysjsQsxnkHb?domain=docs.google.com>

Best regards,

— Daniel Zucker

Daniel Zucker (he/him)
Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics
School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences
Macquarie University
daniel.zucker at mq.edu.au
+61 (02) 9850 4442

I acknowledge the traditional custodians of the Macquarie University Land, the Wallumattagal people of the Dharug nation, whose cultures and customs have nurtured, and continue to nurture, this land since the Dreamtime.

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