Discussion
The FCC has elected to approve the 'sunlight on demand' giant orbital reflector.
All the while scientists warn of deep disruptions to ecosystems, possibly harming the sleep of millions of people, and as astronomers warn it will make the universe even less visible.
They say it's to feed solar farms, for disaster relief. Other uses? Agri giants beaming sunlight to crops, construction giants to their build sites, concert spectacles, super rich playing god at weddings.
@JulianOliver It is disheartening to look that there are problems in need of solving - most of them have boring solutions but don’t get tacklet, yet, there is _this_ stuff…
This is all beta = production; there is no testing environment. Our planet is their sandpit. No international consultation, no discussion with indigenous peoples.
In the what-could-possibly-go-wrong basket is the reflector getting 'stuck' due to a comms issue or mechanical failure, turning one of these mirrors into a giant finger of light 4.8km wide dragged over our planet every ~128 minutes (the period of low earth orbit), forever, until hit by space junk or direct intervention.
@JulianOliver Move fast, break planets.
@JulianOliver
Wait a minute, I’ve seen this movie before. It’s the one with Pierce Brosnan as 007.
@JulianOliver [serious question] Can you use it to focus burning heat on your enemies?
@JulianOliver presumably their mirror is going to be quickly shredded by all the debris from collisions between the constellations of Starlink, Amazon and Chinese sattelites once we soon hit the threshold for Kessler syndrome?
@marjolica Absolutely, this is inevitable. Another bar in the jail, making leaving orbit increasingly lethal. This is notably unthinking given the broligarchy's self-congratulating space lust.
@JulianOliver oh you know, those rich ppl won't be able to resist themselves.
@JulianOliver How is this not the Onion???
@JulianOliver I do understand how, from an FCC perspective, this is a nothing burger. It's kinda like if they approved a fighter jet for consumers. From their sphere of influence it doesn't break any rules, although other agencies may have opinions on the rules they're set to enforce.
@Gjoel Me too. It's the fact the FCC have so much influence that their approval matters, despite the project being well beyond their scope.
@JulianOliver does our planet need more heat? 🤔
@JulianOliver Can we find out which state they're incorporated in and get their corporate charter revoked? 🤔
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