Disco ‘mirror ball’ dances into Earth orbit
WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Look into the night sky at the right time and you might see what seems like a disco ball shimmering and glinting back.
The founder of the company that launched the first rocket into orbit from New Zealand last week said he deployed a satellite he thinks will be the brightest object in the night sky and which he hopes will remind people of their precarious place in a vast universe.
Peter Beck, the New Zealander who founded California-based Rocket Lab, said he used most of the space aboard his test Electron rocket to house an object he has named the “Humanity Star.” The rocket successfully reached orbit on Jan. 21.
The satellite, not much bigger than a beach ball, is a sphere made from carbonfiber with 65 reflective panels.
It is designed to spin rapidly and reflect the sun’s light to Earth. It’s expected to orbit the Earth every 90 minutes in an elliptical pattern, traveling at 27 times the speed of sound.
Beck has lofty ambitions for his experiment. He hopes the satellite will become a focal point for humanity, and will serve as a reminder for people to look past daily concerns and to face larger challenges like climate change and resource shortages.
That’s why Beck said he resisted the comparison to a disco ball, because he wants it to be about something more serious.
“But in all honesty, yes, it’s a giant mirror ball,” he said.
Beck said the object should be noticeable but will not be much brighter than satellites.
The Humanity Star is expected to orbit the Earth for nine months before it is pulled back into Earth’s gravity and burned upon re-entry.
It can be tracked at www.thehumanitystar.com.