MIRROR: A VERY bad idea

This does NOT sound good.

Our Federal Communications Commission has granted permission for Reflect Orbital, Inc. to launch a mirror into Earth orbit. This mirror would reflect sunlight at full moon strength onto a 5-kilometer patch of earth and would be steerable to where the light might be needed — for solar farms or search-and-rescue missions and such.

This is a disastrous concept for a lot of other animals and plants that depend on natural moonlight for their well-being.

Additionally, Reflect Orbital wants to eventually insert 50,000(!) such satellites into Earth orbit by 2035. This would be extremely disruptive to most lifeforms on Earth, including humans. Astronomers have already been adversely affected by the more than 10,000 Starlink satellites now in orbit.

Just because something can be done doesn’t mean it should be done. These techno-billionaires need to be reined in — now.

JOE LYKINS

Coeur d’Alene