Mastodawn

Blake C. Stacey 1d ago

Prof. Sam Lawler

FCC reply comments are due by 5pm EDT Monday 30 March on Reflect Orbital. If you wrote in a comment, please please please write in again saying that they did not address your concerns in their letter (which is very hard to find in the FCC dumpster-fire-of-a-website). Instructions here: https://aas.org/posts/advocacy/2026/02/how-submit-comments-satellite-applications-fcc

The most horrifying part in their "consolidated reply": they agree that they could in fact cause permanent eye damage to people using medium-sized telescopes. WILD.

Prof. Sam Lawler 1d ago

Any journalists want to write about this? Or anyone know how to figure out who insures Reflect Orbital? Reflect Orbital will cause eye damage to people using telescopes, as astronomers have previously calculated, and they openly admitted it in their reply.

(There is a whole slew of absolutely devastating ecological damage they will also cause, but I'm focusing on this one for now because it's so shocking)

Prof. Sam Lawler 1d ago

Following up to say... the whole idea is so fucking ignorant that it's all shocking. I'm just focusing on the eye damage issue because it's something they readily admit will cause harm, and it's a concrete calculation (even if I think they did it in a bullshit way that ignores a lot of things that actually make it MORE likely to cause eye damage)

Ecological damage has me far more worried, and losing so much of the night sky for some techbro fuckweasel's pipe dream is just devastating.

Prof. Sam Lawler 22h ago

I managed to proofread and comment on the entire 6 page American Astronomical Society draft response to Reflect Orbital's reply and also write my own draft response and not throw my laptop out the window with rage over Reflect Orbital's absolutely fucking terrible plans. Please clap.

Do I think this will actually help? No, not really, the FCC is evil and blinded by $$$. Do I still have to do this? Yes. Yes I do.

Legit_Spaghetti 21h ago

@sundogplanets 👏👏👏

For some reason this whole situation reminds me of the ELF (Earth Liberation Front) and the time they burned down that ski resort in Vail. Sunshine Overaker is still on the FBI's wanted list, almost 30 years later.

Burning down a ski resort is one thing. I can see something like the destruction of our night skies inspiring an entirely new breed of activist, the kind that wouldn't shy away from taking down the very satellites trying to steal the stars from us.

My camera shoots fascists 21h ago

@Legit_Spaghetti @sundogplanets

Unfortunately, slingshots won't shoot that far.

Legit_Spaghetti 21h ago

@Mikal @sundogplanets I don't think you'd need anything as dramatic as an anti-satellite weapon (not that anyone could even build such a thing without government funding and without setting off all kinds of alarm bells among the different alphabet soup agencies). Compromising a satellite's software would be a much cheaper and slightly more achievable way to do it.

My camera shoots fascists 21h ago

@Legit_Spaghetti @sundogplanets

Where are the antifa super hackers when you need them? Or maybe night sky liberation front?

But, yeah, wouldn't that be hilarious. Hack them so they turn the wrong way and use whatever thrust capability they have to launch themselves out of orbit on a slow path out into deep space. Byyeeee 👋

Legit_Spaghetti 20h ago

@Mikal @sundogplanets That would be funny, but I don't think they have enough propellant to get there. Deorbiting should be possible though.

Of course, that kind of unplanned maneuver would increase the risk of an ablation cascade, but that's where we're headed anyway with these turbostupid gigaconstellations.

MissConstrue 8h ago

@Legit_Spaghetti @sundogplanets This was actually my first thought. Do you want eco terrorism, cause this is how you get it.

I’ve been following along about this because of Prof and her passion for everything skyward. I am a news junkie. I have subs to so many news outlets, including science and ethics journals, and this story is so well hidden it has to be on purpose.

Legit_Spaghetti 5h ago

@MissConstrue @sundogplanets I don't know that I'd call the Elves eco-terrorists. That term was primarily conjured up to give the FBI an excuse to go after them with excessive force. Their acts were never intended to injure anyone, nor were they trying to terrorize the public.

Likewise, I wouldn't be comfortable labeling people carrying out attacks against orbital projects in an effort to protect Earth's ecosphere as eco-terrorists. Criminals, sure. Reckless, yes. Terrorists? I don't know.

MissConstrue 4h ago

@Legit_Spaghetti @sundogplanets

Agreed, I was using a lazy semantic shorthand.

teledyn 𓂀 21h ago

@sundogplanets it is important, and, as a senior I can add "quite satisfying", to later be able to say "I told you so" and get grant money to clean up the mess.

As Bucky said, people always do the right thing, but ONLY after they have exhausted every stupid alternative. This is, I think, called, in biology, "the genetic algorithm" ☺️

Gurre Vildskägg 18h ago

@teledyn @sundogplanets

Grants application starting something like
"Now that the Kessler syndrome is at most a decade away it is time to start working on a clean-up system. In this [...]"

Thank you for doing this. 🌏🌎🌍

My camera shoots fascists 21h ago

As a complete lay person, with no formal expertise in this matter whatsoever, is it appropriate to write a comment that just says "This is a fantastically stupid fucking idea. What the hell are you thinking? No no no no!"

Prof. Sam Lawler 16h ago

@Mikal Yes, it is completely appropriate! (And this is probably obvious, but while I heartily encourage swearing as needed in social media posts, I think swear words will make your comment less likely to be read)

My camera shoots fascists 8h ago

The first time, I made some reasonably polite comments about the importance of dark skies to everyone on earth. But at this point it feels like they need to get overwhelmed with people screaming in their face about how stupid this is. But, OK, I'll leave out the swearing and just tell them that they should get their brain worms treated.

There will be plenty of people with credentials talking about the specific risks. They need to hear from the rest of us. My guess is that most people won't even hear about this until one of these things launches and the country is inundated with calls about aliens. (Please, just once, let it be aliens.)

MissConstrue 8h ago

@Mikal @sundogplanets That’s pretty much what mine said. It may also have suggested that ingesting lead may have been key to thinking this was a good idea. I might have also remarked that this is what 50 years of degrading an education system looks like.

It’s so stupid. So stupid.

Cyberlyra 21h ago

@sundogplanets CLAPPING!! It wil have an impact.

Also cc'ing @Paulatics as she is on the case in #Canada

matthew green 20h ago

@sundogplanets standing ovation

cafuego 🔭🤦🏼‍♂️18h ago

@sundogplanets Nevertheless, thank you 🙏🏻

Damian Lehmann 17h ago

@sundogplanets 👏

Szescstopni 17h ago

@sundogplanets 👏👏

Michael Sokolov 13h ago

@sundogplanets 👏👏👏

why not wy 8h ago

@sundogplanets Thank you for defending our skies.

Applause. Standing ovation.

Maybe they're just banking on aggressive interpretations of the space liability convention, and assuming that the US regime will insulate them from liability?

Prof. Sam Lawler 23h ago

@DaveMWilburn Huh. That's a scary idea.

Just a general question for anyone:

Why are other countries letting the US decide what happens in the sky over their country? Why does it all depend on one corrupt, anti-science government?

@donray @sundogplanets cause it has the football suitcase amongst other toys. Simple as this.

wombatle wombatle 13h ago

@donray @sundogplanets as far as I'm aware, other countries' equivalents of the FCC would not accept this type of application. The ITU and co should be involved but are eerily silent. Germany has stood up more than once and the EU has legislation in the works but that is slow. I suspect that most countries have been blindsided by the speed and willingness of the FCC to sign off on this stuff that is well outside of their jurisdiction.

Don Ray 12h ago

@sundogplanets @womble

I hope somebody starts to wake up!

But who knows? Some of the people in charge in other countries and organizations might be receiving nice little gifts from Elon in their bank accounts. It seems possible.

@womble @donray @sundogplanets
The problem is that this particular project is not really addressed by the frequency coordination process which the FCC and ITU conduct, and is also more-or-less outside the existing laws.
This is probably not a good time to get congress to make it illegal.
Maybe spending time showing the insurance companies and investors that they would face legal liability much larger than any potential profit is the way to go.

Nonya Bidniss 13h ago

@donray @sundogplanets I keep asking this question!!!

D. G. Marshall 21h ago

I'm not a lawyer, but I would think that admitting your fuckweasel's pipe dream will cause eye damage, and then building it anyway, should make you liable for all the eye damage you cause.

Small comfort for those who lose their eyesight, I know.

Arthur van der Harg 16h ago

@davidtheeviloverlord @sundogplanets They would reverse the argument: “The alleged victim knowingly and willingly pointed an optical focussing device at an area of the sky that they should have known contains very bright objects. The damage to their vision could have been prevented easily by not looking through said device, but projecting the image somewhere, or using a recording device. We therefore do not accept any liability for their injury.”

Cat West 16h ago

@sundogplanets A long time ago I worked for an insurance company that at the time, was only one of 3 that insured the Bigs: Disneyland, The Shuttle launches, etc. Our company insured the Space Shuttles. Factory Mutual. I don’t know if they are still around and I can’t remember the name of the other two, but someone in the industry should be able to lead you to them. There can’t be more than a few.

Saltyandcurious 16h ago

@sundogplanets a warm thank you for Your Engagement from germany! 🤩😘 today I signed up and Shared the letter (for dark Skys).

@sundogplanets putting @andreabettini in the loop for italian public broadcasting

Giovanni 7h ago

@sundogplanets Can anyone explain why the satellites use glass photovoltaics and not matte, non-reflective solar panels if it causes so much sun to reflect and ruin the night sky? https://www.adafruit.com/product/5367

5V 5W Solar Panel - ETFE

These panels come to us from Voltaic Systems, makers of fine solar-powered bags and packs. These are waterproof, scratch-resistant, and UV resistant, and they use 10 high efficiency ...

Prof. Sam Lawler 7h ago

@Holocene I know they effectively painted an early Starlink black and it fried itself and stopped working.

Giovanni 5h ago

@sundogplanets why not use completely different materials for future launches? I don't think paint is the right idea.

@sundogplanets Note again to my fellow #HamRadio operators...they require a CORES account to make it nearly impossible to comment. And to get a ham radio license, you also got a CORES account. It's up to us to speak for the hundreds of millions they are preventing from speaking.

Go make a comment.

@W6KME @sundogplanets #GMRS license holders have CORES accounts also, if they wish to comment 🤔🙂

grrl_aex 1d ago

As an inhabitant of this planet (and as an amateur astronomer) I'm utterly appalled at the temerity of these rapacious, entitled ghouls.

AI6YR Ben 1d ago

@sundogplanets 😬

Darth Osler 1d ago

@ai6yr @sundogplanets time for xl ground-based lasers

Luna chan 23h ago

@sundogplanets This stupid thing needs to be blocked.

Michael McWilliams 22h ago

@sundogplanets
IMO, Reflect Orbital is a total scam. Their business model has been debunked in a video. The video didn't even touch on the number of days there will be clouds that will fully prevent any solar panels getting extra light. I think that they are only doing this to steal venture capitalists' money.

Prof. Sam Lawler 22h ago

@MichaelMcWilliams I totally agree with you! But it's a scam that is going to cause real people and real ecosystems (and astronomy!) measurable harm so I am fighting it as hard as I can.

Michael McWilliams 22h ago

@sundogplanets
Here's the debunk video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkjyeI0ykGM

EEVblog 1637: Solar Freakin' Space Mirrors! - Reflect Orbital DEBUNKED

YouTube

Prof. Sam Lawler 22h ago

@MichaelMcWilliams I LOVE this video!

Future Sprog 21h ago

Thanks for the reminder. I have again submitted a comment on that.

Greg Haas 11h ago

@sundogplanets Sorry to bother, but, to be clear, is my pleading type “Reply” at this point? Did I miss the public comment window? That’s how I’m reading your “FCC reply comments are due” phrase but want to be sure I do it right.

Prof. Sam Lawler 7h ago

@izzaboo Comments are due tomorrow at 5pm EDT! And yes, pleading type is "reply". Thank you!