Scientists Warn FCC: Satellite Mirror Plans Could Disrupt Sleep and Ecosystems
A coalition of scientists from four international scientific societies has raised concerns about plans to deploy reflective mirrors and up to 1 million additional satellites in low Earth orbit. These plans, proposed by companies like Reflect Orbital and SpaceX, aim to illuminate parts of the Earth at night and expand satellite numbers significantly. The scientists, representing about 2,500 researchers from over 30 countries, have written to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) urging a full environmental review. They warn that altering the natural light-dark cycle could disrupt biological clocks in humans and animals, affect migration in nocturnal species, and impact marine phytoplankton, which are crucial for ocean food webs. The coalition emphasizes the need to treat these changes with the same seriousness as other planetary-scale environmental issues. 
