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The Cheapest Way to Cool Data Centers Won’t Work in a Warmer World 
                Like it or not, data centers are now intrinsic to our modern lives, supporting not just the AI boom but healthcare, banking, government services, and other essential sectors. Reliable data center operation depends on effective cooling, which is already a major challenge as many methods require huge inputs of water or energy. To make matters worse, new research suggests that one of our cheapest, most efficient cooling strategies could stop working in a warmer world. The findings, published Monday in the journal Scientific Reports, show that rising temperatures and humidity levels threaten the viability of direct air free cooling, an energy-efficient, waterless technique that pulls outside air in to cool data center servers. Over the past 45 years, weather conditions that limit direct air cooling have become significantly more common, particularly across the tropics and the southeastern United States, according to the study. As the global temperature continues to rise, this problem is only going to get worse. “We found that periods of time when temperature and humidity exceed recommended operating thresholds for direct air free cooling are becoming more frequent and lasting longer in many regions,” lead author Christina Karamperidou, a professor of atmospheric sciences professor at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa, said in a statement. “This will reduce the availability of air free cooling for a growing number of data centers globally.”

 Climate-driven cooling constraints For direct air free cooling, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers recommends keeping the air entering a data center between 64 and 81 degrees Fahrenheit (18 and 27 degrees Celsius), with 10% to 70% relative humidity and a dew point below 59 degrees F (15 degrees C). Air that is hotter and more humid than this won’t cool the servers effectively and could corrode metal components.

 To investigate how this cooling method will function in a warmer, wetter world, Karamperidou and her colleagues used a combination of high-resolution hourly weather observations, climate model simulations, and global records of data center locations. With this data, they evaluated how often environmental conditions exceeded recommended operating limits for direct air free cooling over the past 45 years and in future climate scenarios. The researchers found that the prevalence of weather conditions that limit direct air free cooling has increased significantly in recent decades. Even regions that have only seen modest long-term increases in heat and humidity are experiencing longer daily exceedance events, and the share of data centers exposed to conditions that limit direct air free cooling availability for at least one quarter of the year is rising.

 Interestingly, the findings suggest that the hottest, most humid days are intensifying faster than average days, indicating that environmental stress on direct air free cooling systems is become more and more concentrated in rare, highly consequential events. “From an operational perspective, those worst-day conditions often drive contingency planning, system overrides, redundancy requirements, and reliability decisions,” Karamperidou said. “This suggests that infrastructure planning may need to account not only for average environmental conditions but also for how the most stressful days are changing over time.” By 2050, the number of hours that exceed temperature and humidity limits for direct air free cooling is protected to increase under high greenhouse gas emissions scenarios, according to the researchers. In most regions globally, the average number of hours per day during which this cooling strategy is constrained increases by more than two hours per day, the findings show.

 A troubling feedback loop While this study focuses on how weather can influence data centers, it’s important to remember that data centers can influence local weather too. These facilities dissipate a lot of heat, and research has shown that they can actually create heat islands within a 6-mile radius of themselves. Karamperidou and her colleagues did not account for this effect, so the direct air free cooling constraints they identified may be conservative, they write in their report. Still, they emphasize that their findings do not mean that this cooling strategy is necessarily infeasible in warm, humid regions. Rather, the study shows that the window of feasibility for direct air free cooling is narrowing due to climate change.

 “Alternative strategies—including indirect evaporative cooling, liquid cooling, and hybrid architectures—can partially offset these constraints, albeit with distinct trade-offs in water use, system complexity, and operational design,” the researchers write. Indeed, as one of the simplest, cheapest, and most efficient cooling strategies becomes increasingly unreliable, data center operators may be forced to turn to more energy- and water-intensive methods. This, in turn, could put added strain on electric grids and water resources that are themselves strained by climate change. Adapting data centers to a warming world without exacerbating the impacts of rising global temperatures will require innovative solutions.      #Cheapest #Cool #Data #Centers #Wont #Work #Warmer #WorldAI,data centers,extreme heat,Global warming

The Cheapest Way to Cool Data Centers Won’t Work in a Warmer World The Cheapest Way to Cool Data Centers Won’t Work in a Warmer World 
                Like it or not, data centers are now intrinsic to our modern lives, supporting not just the AI boom but healthcare, banking, government services, and other essential sectors. Reliable data center operation depends on effective cooling, which is already a major challenge as many methods require huge inputs of water or energy. To make matters worse, new research suggests that one of our cheapest, most efficient cooling strategies could stop working in a warmer world. The findings, published Monday in the journal Scientific Reports, show that rising temperatures and humidity levels threaten the viability of direct air free cooling, an energy-efficient, waterless technique that pulls outside air in to cool data center servers. Over the past 45 years, weather conditions that limit direct air cooling have become significantly more common, particularly across the tropics and the southeastern United States, according to the study. As the global temperature continues to rise, this problem is only going to get worse. “We found that periods of time when temperature and humidity exceed recommended operating thresholds for direct air free cooling are becoming more frequent and lasting longer in many regions,” lead author Christina Karamperidou, a professor of atmospheric sciences professor at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa, said in a statement. “This will reduce the availability of air free cooling for a growing number of data centers globally.”

 Climate-driven cooling constraints For direct air free cooling, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers recommends keeping the air entering a data center between 64 and 81 degrees Fahrenheit (18 and 27 degrees Celsius), with 10% to 70% relative humidity and a dew point below 59 degrees F (15 degrees C). Air that is hotter and more humid than this won’t cool the servers effectively and could corrode metal components.

 To investigate how this cooling method will function in a warmer, wetter world, Karamperidou and her colleagues used a combination of high-resolution hourly weather observations, climate model simulations, and global records of data center locations. With this data, they evaluated how often environmental conditions exceeded recommended operating limits for direct air free cooling over the past 45 years and in future climate scenarios. The researchers found that the prevalence of weather conditions that limit direct air free cooling has increased significantly in recent decades. Even regions that have only seen modest long-term increases in heat and humidity are experiencing longer daily exceedance events, and the share of data centers exposed to conditions that limit direct air free cooling availability for at least one quarter of the year is rising.

 Interestingly, the findings suggest that the hottest, most humid days are intensifying faster than average days, indicating that environmental stress on direct air free cooling systems is become more and more concentrated in rare, highly consequential events. “From an operational perspective, those worst-day conditions often drive contingency planning, system overrides, redundancy requirements, and reliability decisions,” Karamperidou said. “This suggests that infrastructure planning may need to account not only for average environmental conditions but also for how the most stressful days are changing over time.” By 2050, the number of hours that exceed temperature and humidity limits for direct air free cooling is protected to increase under high greenhouse gas emissions scenarios, according to the researchers. In most regions globally, the average number of hours per day during which this cooling strategy is constrained increases by more than two hours per day, the findings show.

 A troubling feedback loop While this study focuses on how weather can influence data centers, it’s important to remember that data centers can influence local weather too. These facilities dissipate a lot of heat, and research has shown that they can actually create heat islands within a 6-mile radius of themselves. Karamperidou and her colleagues did not account for this effect, so the direct air free cooling constraints they identified may be conservative, they write in their report. Still, they emphasize that their findings do not mean that this cooling strategy is necessarily infeasible in warm, humid regions. Rather, the study shows that the window of feasibility for direct air free cooling is narrowing due to climate change.

 “Alternative strategies—including indirect evaporative cooling, liquid cooling, and hybrid architectures—can partially offset these constraints, albeit with distinct trade-offs in water use, system complexity, and operational design,” the researchers write. Indeed, as one of the simplest, cheapest, and most efficient cooling strategies becomes increasingly unreliable, data center operators may be forced to turn to more energy- and water-intensive methods. This, in turn, could put added strain on electric grids and water resources that are themselves strained by climate change. Adapting data centers to a warming world without exacerbating the impacts of rising global temperatures will require innovative solutions.      #Cheapest #Cool #Data #Centers #Wont #Work #Warmer #WorldAI,data centers,extreme heat,Global warming

Like it or not, data centers are now intrinsic to our modern lives, supporting not just the AI boom but healthcare, banking, government services, and other essential sectors. Reliable data center operation depends on effective cooling, which is already a major challenge as many methods require huge inputs of water or energy. To make matters worse, new research suggests that one of our cheapest, most efficient cooling strategies could stop working in a warmer world.

The findings, published Monday in the journal Scientific Reports, show that rising temperatures and humidity levels threaten the viability of direct air free cooling, an energy-efficient, waterless technique that pulls outside air in to cool data center servers. Over the past 45 years, weather conditions that limit direct air cooling have become significantly more common, particularly across the tropics and the southeastern United States, according to the study. As the global temperature continues to rise, this problem is only going to get worse.

“We found that periods of time when temperature and humidity exceed recommended operating thresholds for direct air free cooling are becoming more frequent and lasting longer in many regions,” lead author Christina Karamperidou, a professor of atmospheric sciences professor at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa, said in a statement. “This will reduce the availability of air free cooling for a growing number of data centers globally.”

Climate-driven cooling constraints

For direct air free cooling, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers recommends keeping the air entering a data center between 64 and 81 degrees Fahrenheit (18 and 27 degrees Celsius), with 10% to 70% relative humidity and a dew point below 59 degrees F (15 degrees C). Air that is hotter and more humid than this won’t cool the servers effectively and could corrode metal components.

To investigate how this cooling method will function in a warmer, wetter world, Karamperidou and her colleagues used a combination of high-resolution hourly weather observations, climate model simulations, and global records of data center locations. With this data, they evaluated how often environmental conditions exceeded recommended operating limits for direct air free cooling over the past 45 years and in future climate scenarios.

The researchers found that the prevalence of weather conditions that limit direct air free cooling has increased significantly in recent decades. Even regions that have only seen modest long-term increases in heat and humidity are experiencing longer daily exceedance events, and the share of data centers exposed to conditions that limit direct air free cooling availability for at least one quarter of the year is rising.

Interestingly, the findings suggest that the hottest, most humid days are intensifying faster than average days, indicating that environmental stress on direct air free cooling systems is become more and more concentrated in rare, highly consequential events.

“From an operational perspective, those worst-day conditions often drive contingency planning, system overrides, redundancy requirements, and reliability decisions,” Karamperidou said. “This suggests that infrastructure planning may need to account not only for average environmental conditions but also for how the most stressful days are changing over time.”

By 2050, the number of hours that exceed temperature and humidity limits for direct air free cooling is protected to increase under high greenhouse gas emissions scenarios, according to the researchers. In most regions globally, the average number of hours per day during which this cooling strategy is constrained increases by more than two hours per day, the findings show.

A troubling feedback loop

While this study focuses on how weather can influence data centers, it’s important to remember that data centers can influence local weather too. These facilities dissipate a lot of heat, and research has shown that they can actually create heat islands within a 6-mile radius of themselves.

Karamperidou and her colleagues did not account for this effect, so the direct air free cooling constraints they identified may be conservative, they write in their report. Still, they emphasize that their findings do not mean that this cooling strategy is necessarily infeasible in warm, humid regions. Rather, the study shows that the window of feasibility for direct air free cooling is narrowing due to climate change.

“Alternative strategies—including indirect evaporative cooling, liquid cooling, and hybrid architectures—can partially offset these constraints, albeit with distinct trade-offs in water use, system complexity, and operational design,” the researchers write.

Indeed, as one of the simplest, cheapest, and most efficient cooling strategies becomes increasingly unreliable, data center operators may be forced to turn to more energy- and water-intensive methods. This, in turn, could put added strain on electric grids and water resources that are themselves strained by climate change. Adapting data centers to a warming world without exacerbating the impacts of rising global temperatures will require innovative solutions.

#Cheapest #Cool #Data #Centers #Wont #Work #Warmer #WorldAI,data centers,extreme heat,Global warming

Like it or not, data centers are now intrinsic to our modern lives, supporting not just the AI boom but healthcare, banking, government services, and other essential sectors. Reliable data center operation depends on effective cooling, which is already a major challenge as many methods require huge inputs of water or energy. To make matters worse, new research suggests that one of our cheapest, most efficient cooling strategies could stop working in a warmer world.

The findings, published Monday in the journal Scientific Reports, show that rising temperatures and humidity levels threaten the viability of direct air free cooling, an energy-efficient, waterless technique that pulls outside air in to cool data center servers. Over the past 45 years, weather conditions that limit direct air cooling have become significantly more common, particularly across the tropics and the southeastern United States, according to the study. As the global temperature continues to rise, this problem is only going to get worse.

“We found that periods of time when temperature and humidity exceed recommended operating thresholds for direct air free cooling are becoming more frequent and lasting longer in many regions,” lead author Christina Karamperidou, a professor of atmospheric sciences professor at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa, said in a statement. “This will reduce the availability of air free cooling for a growing number of data centers globally.”

Climate-driven cooling constraints

For direct air free cooling, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers recommends keeping the air entering a data center between 64 and 81 degrees Fahrenheit (18 and 27 degrees Celsius), with 10% to 70% relative humidity and a dew point below 59 degrees F (15 degrees C). Air that is hotter and more humid than this won’t cool the servers effectively and could corrode metal components.

To investigate how this cooling method will function in a warmer, wetter world, Karamperidou and her colleagues used a combination of high-resolution hourly weather observations, climate model simulations, and global records of data center locations. With this data, they evaluated how often environmental conditions exceeded recommended operating limits for direct air free cooling over the past 45 years and in future climate scenarios.

The researchers found that the prevalence of weather conditions that limit direct air free cooling has increased significantly in recent decades. Even regions that have only seen modest long-term increases in heat and humidity are experiencing longer daily exceedance events, and the share of data centers exposed to conditions that limit direct air free cooling availability for at least one quarter of the year is rising.

Interestingly, the findings suggest that the hottest, most humid days are intensifying faster than average days, indicating that environmental stress on direct air free cooling systems is become more and more concentrated in rare, highly consequential events.

“From an operational perspective, those worst-day conditions often drive contingency planning, system overrides, redundancy requirements, and reliability decisions,” Karamperidou said. “This suggests that infrastructure planning may need to account not only for average environmental conditions but also for how the most stressful days are changing over time.”

By 2050, the number of hours that exceed temperature and humidity limits for direct air free cooling is protected to increase under high greenhouse gas emissions scenarios, according to the researchers. In most regions globally, the average number of hours per day during which this cooling strategy is constrained increases by more than two hours per day, the findings show.

A troubling feedback loop

While this study focuses on how weather can influence data centers, it’s important to remember that data centers can influence local weather too. These facilities dissipate a lot of heat, and research has shown that they can actually create heat islands within a 6-mile radius of themselves.

Karamperidou and her colleagues did not account for this effect, so the direct air free cooling constraints they identified may be conservative, they write in their report. Still, they emphasize that their findings do not mean that this cooling strategy is necessarily infeasible in warm, humid regions. Rather, the study shows that the window of feasibility for direct air free cooling is narrowing due to climate change.

“Alternative strategies—including indirect evaporative cooling, liquid cooling, and hybrid architectures—can partially offset these constraints, albeit with distinct trade-offs in water use, system complexity, and operational design,” the researchers write.

Indeed, as one of the simplest, cheapest, and most efficient cooling strategies becomes increasingly unreliable, data center operators may be forced to turn to more energy- and water-intensive methods. This, in turn, could put added strain on electric grids and water resources that are themselves strained by climate change. Adapting data centers to a warming world without exacerbating the impacts of rising global temperatures will require innovative solutions.

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#Cheapest #Cool #Data #Centers #Wont #Work #Warmer #World

Back-to-school shopping is already expensive, and this year, tech upgrades aren’t getting any cheaper. Between the ongoing memory crunch (aka RAMageddon), higher hardware costs, and recent Apple price hikes on some products, finding a good deal on the gadgets students need matters more than ever.

Luckily, not every back-to-school tech upgrade has to hurt. T-Mobile’s latest offers are helping students and families save on the stuff they’re most likely shopping for, from free Galaxy S26 and iPhone 17 deals to tablets and home internet.

Before you start picking your new phone color, there’s a catch worth knowing about. These T-Mobile deals do come with a few strings attached. Depending on the offer, you may need to add a new line, pick a qualifying plan, or trade in an eligible phone to get the advertised price. Some savings are also delivered through monthly bill credits.

Best phone deal for students

If you were already planning to upgrade your phone before heading back to school, this is one of T-Mobile’s biggest offers. New customers who switch their number can get a Samsung Galaxy S26 or iPhone 17 for $0 with qualifying plans, with the discount applied through 24 monthly bill credits.

You’ll need a qualifying T-Mobile plan, and depending on the offer, you may need to switch your number to get the full discount. If you cancel service before the credits finish, you’ll be responsible for the remaining device balance.

Best budget phone deal for students

Metro by T-Mobile is offering the iPhone 16e for $99.99 upfront when you bring your existing number to its $50 per month AutoPay plan. After three months of service, you’ll also get a $100 virtual prepaid Mastercard, effectively covering the phone’s cost.

The iPhone 16e is Apple’s more affordable iPhone option, giving students access to features like Apple Intelligence support, a 48-megapixel Fusion camera, and a familiar iOS experience without jumping up to the price of a flagship model.

Best tablet deal for students

A tablet can be a pretty handy school sidekick, whether you’re downloading textbooks, taking notes, or giving your laptop a break. Right now, T-Mobile is giving the Samsung Galaxy Tab A11+ 5G (128GB) away with a new qualifying tablet line.

The catch? The $289.99 price is covered through 24 monthly bill credits, so you’ll want to stick with the plan for the full promo period to get the complete discount.

Best home internet deal for students

Moving off campus usually means adding one more thing to your budget: WiFi. T-Mobile 5G Home Internet is down to $35 per month when bundled with a qualifying T-Mobile phone plan, saving you $15 per month.

New customers can also get a free month of service plus up to $200 back via virtual prepaid card, making it a great option for students moving into an apartment or anyone who wants simple setup without a long-term price surprise. Eligible plans come with a five-year price guarantee, so your monthly rate won’t change during that period (excluding certain fees and upgrades).

#TMobile #backtoschool #deals #Free #Galaxy #S26 #iPhone">Best T-Mobile back-to-school deals: Free Galaxy S26, iPhone 17, and more
                                                            
Back-to-school shopping is already expensive, and this year, tech upgrades aren’t getting any cheaper. Between the ongoing memory crunch (aka RAMageddon), higher hardware costs, and recent Apple price hikes on some products, finding a good deal on the gadgets students need matters more than ever. Luckily, not every back-to-school tech upgrade has to hurt. T-Mobile’s latest offers are helping students and families save on the stuff they’re most likely shopping for, from free Galaxy S26 and iPhone 17 deals to tablets and home internet.Before you start picking your new phone color, there’s a catch worth knowing about. These T-Mobile deals do come with a few strings attached. Depending on the offer, you may need to add a new line, pick a qualifying plan, or trade in an eligible phone to get the advertised price. Some savings are also delivered through monthly bill credits.Best phone deal for students
If you were already planning to upgrade your phone before heading back to school, this is one of T-Mobile’s biggest offers. New customers who switch their number can get a Samsung Galaxy S26 or iPhone 17 for alt=

RAMageddon), higher hardware costs, and recent Apple price hikes on some products, finding a good deal on the gadgets students need matters more than ever.

Luckily, not every back-to-school tech upgrade has to hurt. T-Mobile’s latest offers are helping students and families save on the stuff they’re most likely shopping for, from free Galaxy S26 and iPhone 17 deals to tablets and home internet.

Before you start picking your new phone color, there’s a catch worth knowing about. These T-Mobile deals do come with a few strings attached. Depending on the offer, you may need to add a new line, pick a qualifying plan, or trade in an eligible phone to get the advertised price. Some savings are also delivered through monthly bill credits.

Best phone deal for students

If you were already planning to upgrade your phone before heading back to school, this is one of T-Mobile’s biggest offers. New customers who switch their number can get a Samsung Galaxy S26 or iPhone 17 for $0 with qualifying plans, with the discount applied through 24 monthly bill credits.

You’ll need a qualifying T-Mobile plan, and depending on the offer, you may need to switch your number to get the full discount. If you cancel service before the credits finish, you’ll be responsible for the remaining device balance.

Best budget phone deal for students

Metro by T-Mobile is offering the iPhone 16e for $99.99 upfront when you bring your existing number to its $50 per month AutoPay plan. After three months of service, you’ll also get a $100 virtual prepaid Mastercard, effectively covering the phone’s cost.

The iPhone 16e is Apple’s more affordable iPhone option, giving students access to features like Apple Intelligence support, a 48-megapixel Fusion camera, and a familiar iOS experience without jumping up to the price of a flagship model.

Best tablet deal for students

A tablet can be a pretty handy school sidekick, whether you’re downloading textbooks, taking notes, or giving your laptop a break. Right now, T-Mobile is giving the Samsung Galaxy Tab A11+ 5G (128GB) away with a new qualifying tablet line.

The catch? The $289.99 price is covered through 24 monthly bill credits, so you’ll want to stick with the plan for the full promo period to get the complete discount.

Best home internet deal for students

Moving off campus usually means adding one more thing to your budget: WiFi. T-Mobile 5G Home Internet is down to $35 per month when bundled with a qualifying T-Mobile phone plan, saving you $15 per month.

New customers can also get a free month of service plus up to $200 back via virtual prepaid card, making it a great option for students moving into an apartment or anyone who wants simple setup without a long-term price surprise. Eligible plans come with a five-year price guarantee, so your monthly rate won’t change during that period (excluding certain fees and upgrades).

#TMobile #backtoschool #deals #Free #Galaxy #S26 #iPhone">Best T-Mobile back-to-school deals: Free Galaxy S26, iPhone 17, and more

Back-to-school shopping is already expensive, and this year, tech upgrades aren’t getting any cheaper. Between the ongoing memory crunch (aka RAMageddon), higher hardware costs, and recent Apple price hikes on some products, finding a good deal on the gadgets students need matters more than ever.

Luckily, not every back-to-school tech upgrade has to hurt. T-Mobile’s latest offers are helping students and families save on the stuff they’re most likely shopping for, from free Galaxy S26 and iPhone 17 deals to tablets and home internet.

Before you start picking your new phone color, there’s a catch worth knowing about. These T-Mobile deals do come with a few strings attached. Depending on the offer, you may need to add a new line, pick a qualifying plan, or trade in an eligible phone to get the advertised price. Some savings are also delivered through monthly bill credits.

Best phone deal for students

If you were already planning to upgrade your phone before heading back to school, this is one of T-Mobile’s biggest offers. New customers who switch their number can get a Samsung Galaxy S26 or iPhone 17 for $0 with qualifying plans, with the discount applied through 24 monthly bill credits.

You’ll need a qualifying T-Mobile plan, and depending on the offer, you may need to switch your number to get the full discount. If you cancel service before the credits finish, you’ll be responsible for the remaining device balance.

Best budget phone deal for students

Metro by T-Mobile is offering the iPhone 16e for $99.99 upfront when you bring your existing number to its $50 per month AutoPay plan. After three months of service, you’ll also get a $100 virtual prepaid Mastercard, effectively covering the phone’s cost.

The iPhone 16e is Apple’s more affordable iPhone option, giving students access to features like Apple Intelligence support, a 48-megapixel Fusion camera, and a familiar iOS experience without jumping up to the price of a flagship model.

Best tablet deal for students

A tablet can be a pretty handy school sidekick, whether you’re downloading textbooks, taking notes, or giving your laptop a break. Right now, T-Mobile is giving the Samsung Galaxy Tab A11+ 5G (128GB) away with a new qualifying tablet line.

The catch? The $289.99 price is covered through 24 monthly bill credits, so you’ll want to stick with the plan for the full promo period to get the complete discount.

Best home internet deal for students

Moving off campus usually means adding one more thing to your budget: WiFi. T-Mobile 5G Home Internet is down to $35 per month when bundled with a qualifying T-Mobile phone plan, saving you $15 per month.

New customers can also get a free month of service plus up to $200 back via virtual prepaid card, making it a great option for students moving into an apartment or anyone who wants simple setup without a long-term price surprise. Eligible plans come with a five-year price guarantee, so your monthly rate won’t change during that period (excluding certain fees and upgrades).

#TMobile #backtoschool #deals #Free #Galaxy #S26 #iPhone

The satellite, named Eärendil-1 in reference to a Tolkien character, will attempt to redirect sunlight to specific areas on Earth after dark using a 59-foot (18-meter) reflective surface. If successful, Reflect Orbital plans to launch and operate a constellation of 50,000 satellites by 2035, with enough reflected light to illuminate areas up to 3 miles (5 kilometers) on the ground. The company says this technology will be available “on demand” and could be used across a variety of industries, including solar energy, agriculture, and emergency response sectors.

“Imagine the endless possibilities when sunlight is not limited by geography or time of day,” Reflect Orbital says on its website. “A search-and-rescue team locates a missing person in minutes. A city has safer, evenly-lit streets without the carbon emissions. Construction projects complete in half the time with teams able to work through the night safely.”

The growing number of satellite constellations orbiting Earth are driving concerns regarding space junk and light pollution. Reflect Orbital’s plans are already facing objections that the space mirrors could make astronomical observations more difficult. There are also concerns about how the reflected light could interfere with wildlife that depend on natural light cycles and impact the safety of aircraft pilots.

Wired reports that the FCC received nearly 2,000 public comments opposing the space mirror plans, with the American Astronomical Society, DarkSky International, and the Royal Astronomical Society among the most notable critics. “For optical astronomy, this is an existential threat, and we hope that the regulators will share that view,” Betty Kioko, institutional affairs officer for the European Southern Observatory (ESO), said to Wired, ahead of the FCC clearance.

#sunlight #reflecting #space #mirror #cleared #launchNews,Science,Space,Tech">The first sunlight reflecting space mirror has been cleared for launchReflect Orbital has been given the green light to launch its first space mirror that aims to redirect sunlight down to Earth at night. The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has authorized the California-based startup to build and operate a single prototype satellite in low-Earth orbit later this year, despite concerns over how the technology could impact optical astronomy.The satellite, named Eärendil-1 in reference to a Tolkien character, will attempt to redirect sunlight to specific areas on Earth after dark using a 59-foot (18-meter) reflective surface. If successful, Reflect Orbital plans to launch and operate a constellation of 50,000 satellites by 2035, with enough reflected light to illuminate areas up to 3 miles (5 kilometers) on the ground. The company says this technology will be available “on demand” and could be used across a variety of industries, including solar energy, agriculture, and emergency response sectors.“Imagine the endless possibilities when sunlight is not limited by geography or time of day,” Reflect Orbital says on its website. “A search-and-rescue team locates a missing person in minutes. A city has safer, evenly-lit streets without the carbon emissions. Construction projects complete in half the time with teams able to work through the night safely.”The growing number of satellite constellations orbiting Earth are driving concerns regarding space junk and light pollution. Reflect Orbital’s plans are already facing objections that the space mirrors could make astronomical observations more difficult. There are also concerns about how the reflected light could interfere with wildlife that depend on natural light cycles and impact the safety of aircraft pilots.Wired reports that the FCC received nearly 2,000 public comments opposing the space mirror plans, with the American Astronomical Society, DarkSky International, and the Royal Astronomical Society among the most notable critics. “For optical astronomy, this is an existential threat, and we hope that the regulators will share that view,” Betty Kioko, institutional affairs officer for the European Southern Observatory (ESO), said to Wired, ahead of the FCC clearance.#sunlight #reflecting #space #mirror #cleared #launchNews,Science,Space,Tech

has authorized the California-based startup to build and operate a single prototype satellite in low-Earth orbit later this year, despite concerns over how the technology could impact optical astronomy.

The satellite, named Eärendil-1 in reference to a Tolkien character, will attempt to redirect sunlight to specific areas on Earth after dark using a 59-foot (18-meter) reflective surface. If successful, Reflect Orbital plans to launch and operate a constellation of 50,000 satellites by 2035, with enough reflected light to illuminate areas up to 3 miles (5 kilometers) on the ground. The company says this technology will be available “on demand” and could be used across a variety of industries, including solar energy, agriculture, and emergency response sectors.

“Imagine the endless possibilities when sunlight is not limited by geography or time of day,” Reflect Orbital says on its website. “A search-and-rescue team locates a missing person in minutes. A city has safer, evenly-lit streets without the carbon emissions. Construction projects complete in half the time with teams able to work through the night safely.”

The growing number of satellite constellations orbiting Earth are driving concerns regarding space junk and light pollution. Reflect Orbital’s plans are already facing objections that the space mirrors could make astronomical observations more difficult. There are also concerns about how the reflected light could interfere with wildlife that depend on natural light cycles and impact the safety of aircraft pilots.

Wired reports that the FCC received nearly 2,000 public comments opposing the space mirror plans, with the American Astronomical Society, DarkSky International, and the Royal Astronomical Society among the most notable critics. “For optical astronomy, this is an existential threat, and we hope that the regulators will share that view,” Betty Kioko, institutional affairs officer for the European Southern Observatory (ESO), said to Wired, ahead of the FCC clearance.

#sunlight #reflecting #space #mirror #cleared #launchNews,Science,Space,Tech">The first sunlight reflecting space mirror has been cleared for launch

Reflect Orbital has been given the green light to launch its first space mirror that aims to redirect sunlight down to Earth at night. The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has authorized the California-based startup to build and operate a single prototype satellite in low-Earth orbit later this year, despite concerns over how the technology could impact optical astronomy.

The satellite, named Eärendil-1 in reference to a Tolkien character, will attempt to redirect sunlight to specific areas on Earth after dark using a 59-foot (18-meter) reflective surface. If successful, Reflect Orbital plans to launch and operate a constellation of 50,000 satellites by 2035, with enough reflected light to illuminate areas up to 3 miles (5 kilometers) on the ground. The company says this technology will be available “on demand” and could be used across a variety of industries, including solar energy, agriculture, and emergency response sectors.

“Imagine the endless possibilities when sunlight is not limited by geography or time of day,” Reflect Orbital says on its website. “A search-and-rescue team locates a missing person in minutes. A city has safer, evenly-lit streets without the carbon emissions. Construction projects complete in half the time with teams able to work through the night safely.”

The growing number of satellite constellations orbiting Earth are driving concerns regarding space junk and light pollution. Reflect Orbital’s plans are already facing objections that the space mirrors could make astronomical observations more difficult. There are also concerns about how the reflected light could interfere with wildlife that depend on natural light cycles and impact the safety of aircraft pilots.

Wired reports that the FCC received nearly 2,000 public comments opposing the space mirror plans, with the American Astronomical Society, DarkSky International, and the Royal Astronomical Society among the most notable critics. “For optical astronomy, this is an existential threat, and we hope that the regulators will share that view,” Betty Kioko, institutional affairs officer for the European Southern Observatory (ESO), said to Wired, ahead of the FCC clearance.

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