A company based in Tokyo, Japan, is currently preparing to launch its own satellite that can cause man-made meteor showers to rain down on Earth. According to the company, its satellite's meteor showers are safer, brighter and more colorful than the natural ones. The company behind this project is known as Astro Live Experiences (ALE).
According to the company, its satellite, known as ALE-2, is only about 30 centimeters tall and 60 centimeters wide. The company noted that the satellite only weighs about 75 kilograms.the ALE-2 can produce artificial meteor showers through its payload that consists of hundreds of tiny spherical particles, which are ejected out of the satellite through a nozzle on its body.
These particles have been designed to produce various colors such as pink, blue, white and green once they burn up in the atmosphere. Depending on the current weather conditions, ALE noted that about 5 to 20 artificial meteor fireballs can be spotted during each shower. They will be visible for about 3 to 10 seconds and can be viewed even from 200 kilometers away.
"A natural meteor is caused by plasma light emission when dusts of various size rush into the Earth's atmosphere," the company said. "ALE artificially replicates some of the smaller space particles and releases them from a specially designed satellite to create manmade meteors."
ALE explained that each of the particles has been made to burn up and disintegrate within an altitude of 60 to 80 kilometers from the Earth's surface. This means that the particles are not in danger of hitting anyone on the ground or airplanes in the sky. The company noted that ALE-2's launch window will begin on Nov. 25. The company's CEO Lena Okajima saif the first live demonstration of ALE-2's meteor shower could take place sometime in 2020.
"With this launch, we are a step closer to realize the man-made shooting star," the company official said. "Please look forward to the world's first demonstration we are aiming in 2020, which will be a major milestone for ALE." According to the company, it intends to use manmade meteor showers produce by ALE-2 to celebrate major events. If everything goes well, the satellite could be part of the festivities for the upcoming Summer Olympics that will be held in Tokyo in 2020.
