The artificial meteor showers are not particularly safe
A Japanese company is planning to offer rich people the chance to have an exquisite display of lights on the night sky just for them. No, we’re not talking about fireworks, as the company decided to aim even higher. It will produce artificial meteor showers that will be possible to produce whenever the customer is asking.
The artificial meteor showers are available for those who can afford them
The Japanese company who came up with this exquisite idea is called Astro Live Experiences (ALE). Also, the person behind these artificial meteor showers is an astronomer from the University of Tokyo, Lena Okajima. Here’s how such a breathtaking event is possible.
A satellite will fly at a distance of about 355 km away from Earth, close to whatever city the customer wants the artificial meteor showers to happen. Then, it will sprinkle between 15 and 20 pebbles made from a metallic material. Once they reach the atmosphere, they will light up and produce the colorful display that will resemble shooting stars.
At first, the company came up with this unique idea as a solution for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 and their opening ceremony. Then, they easily started taking the artificial meteor showers into the private sector. Now, everybody can have their own shooting stars, or at least anybody who can pay.
The idea is a bit risky from the point of view of safety
As expected, artificial meteor showers are quite expensive. Therefore, those who can afford such a luxury include big companies, entire cities, or maybe amusement parks. Having such a display on the night sky for a wedding or a private party might be a little too much even for those with high incomes.
No matter how beautiful this idea sounds, experts are not really sure artificial meteor showers are completely safe. All the metallic objects falling from the satellite should catch fire when and if they enter the atmosphere. However, if they don’t, the risks are quite high. Space debris is a real issue nowadays, so any leftovers will only contribute to it more. Also, if these pebbles are deviated, they might threaten other satellites nearby.
Image source: National Park Service
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