First Artificial Meteor Shower Will Light Up Japan’s Skies

Tokyo-based firm Astro Live Experiences (ALE), which delivers “space entertainment” has decided that it will create an artificial meteor shower that will light up the skies of Japan.

The firm has created a satellite that will deliver small pellets that dissolve into bright colors as they heat up and eventually break down in the atmosphere, delivering a show of lights to the onlookers that should not be too different from a naturally-occurring meteor shower.

The firm has spent seven years developing the satellite that will now backpack a ride on the Epsilon Rocket, which is part of a program belonging to the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency, which allows businesses and students to test their experiments, products or projects in space.

According to ALE, it will provide a more interesting light show than a natural meteor shower because it will last longer and will be much brighter, bright enough to be seen even when light pollution is at play.

ALE’s ultimate goal is to create an artificial meteor shower over Hiroshima in 2020, which will be visible within a 124 mile radius and be observable to up to 6 million people.