DarkSky International - requesting immediate action for protecting the night sky

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Dana Porter

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Mar 5, 2026, 6:15:32 PM (10 days ago) Mar 5
to howardastro
Hello All,

I received the latest DarkSky International newsletter today and they are asking for support in protecting our night sky from a couple of FCC proposals that are currently under consideration. The first proposal from Reflect Orbital is alarming, preposterous and scary, at best. As described below in the email, they are proposing an orbital illumination system using mirrors mounted on satellites to direct sunlight back to Earth. The second comes from SpaceX requesting up to one million satellites in low Earth orbit. We need to respond. 
DarkSky International has provided recommendations on how to reply to the FCC against these proposals. I am including the link from the DarkSky newsletter to access more information and a screenshot of this subject from their newsletter. And a copy of the newsletter.

This is the Link to the Newsletter. You'll have to copy it into your browser. I know, opening unknown links is risky. 


I don't think I need to say anything further, however, I think I must add that if we don't speak up, those of us that already find value and care for our dark sky, who then? Take a few minutes to write, respond, call the FCC and express your opposition to these proposals.
We have time. Please say something. If you have not already. And, if you have, thank you! Now ask someone else to say something.
image.png

Thank you!

A million satellites? | DarkSky news & updates.eml

James Kaiser

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Mar 5, 2026, 6:31:24 PM (10 days ago) Mar 5
to howar...@googlegroups.com
Immediate is right. The deadline for submitting opinions to the FCC on
Space-X is TOMORROW.
(The deadline for Reflect Orbital is March 9.)
Dark Sky International says it is best to get comments in early.

On 3/5/26 6:15 PM, Dana Porter wrote:
> Hello All,
>
> I received the latest DarkSky International newsletter today and they
> are asking for support in protecting our night sky from a couple of FCC
> proposals that are currently under consideration. The first proposal
> from Reflect Orbital is alarming, preposterous and scary, at best. As
> described below in the email, they are proposing an orbital illumination
> system using mirrors mounted on satellites to direct sunlight back to
> Earth. The second comes from SpaceX requesting up to one million
> satellites in low Earth orbit. We need to respond.
> DarkSky International has provided recommendations on how to reply to
> the FCC against these proposals. I am including the link from the
> DarkSky newsletter to access more information and a screenshot of this
> subject from their newsletter. And a copy of the newsletter.
>
> This is the Link to the Newsletter. You'll have to copy it into your
> browser. I know, opening unknown links is risky.
>
> *https://prod.cdn.everyaction.com/emails/van/EA/EA019/1/117557/
> QGuvegkigSLzp3-y97DViPCr8nVyZzgXI4JVIYl66BP_archive?
> nvep=&hmac=&emci=852cf6ee-b00d-f111-
> a69a-000d3a57593f&emdi=ea000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&ceid=
> <https://prod.cdn.everyaction.com/emails/van/EA/EA019/1/117557/
> QGuvegkigSLzp3-y97DViPCr8nVyZzgXI4JVIYl66BP_archive?
> nvep=&hmac=&emci=852cf6ee-b00d-f111-
> a69a-000d3a57593f&emdi=ea000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&ceid=>*
>
> I don't think I need to say anything further, however, I think I must
> add that if we don't speak up, those of us that already find value and
> care for our dark sky, who then? Take a few minutes to write, respond,
> call the FCC and express your opposition to these proposals.
> We have time. Please say something. If you have not already. And, if you
> have, thank you! Now ask someone else to say something.
> image.png
> /
> /
> Thank you!
>
> /Dana L. Porter/
> /dpro...@gmail.com <mailto:dpro...@gmail.com>/
> /301-557-0279/
> 🌸
>
> /
> /
>
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