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Space & Astronomy

Japanese firm to launch world's first artificial shooting stars

By T.K. Randall
April 1, 2023 · Comment icon 2 comments

Are artificial shooting stars really a good idea ? Image Credit: CC BY 2.0 Joshua Tree National Park
A space company based in Tokyo is hoping to create something spectacular and to collect important data at the same time.
Shooting stars can be breathtaking, which is why Japanese start-up ALE has declared its intention to become the first company to create artificial shooting stars that can be launched on demand.

The project - named Sky Canvas - will not only create a spectacular display (dubbed 'space fireworks') but will also collect important data about the Earth's mesosphere - a region that extends between 31 and 53 miles into the sky and about which surprisingly little is actually known.

"Our aim is to contribute to the sustainable development of humankind and to bring space closer to all of us," said ALE founder and chief executive Dr Lena Okajima.

"We believe we can further our scientific understanding of climate change while also inspiring curiosity and interest in people all over the world about space and the universe."
To create the shooting stars, small metal pellets will need to be sent up into space and released around 250 miles above the Earth.

Upon hitting the atmosphere, they will produce a light show visible from across the world.

While the first demonstration had been planned for 2020, technical issues have seen the debut pushed back to 2025.

Whether the idea will ultimately come to fruition, however, remains to be seen.

Source: Sky News | Comments (2)




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Recent comments on this story
Comment icon #1 Posted by and-then 2 years ago
Ahh... the Japanese are at it again, bless 'em.  Their culture reminds me of an adolescent at a science fair.  A perpetual state of wonder at the world  
Comment icon #2 Posted by Davros of Skaro 2 years ago
They are trying to one up the Chinese for inventing fireworks. 


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