An Israeli-U.S. startup called Stardust Solutions is hoping to release microscopic amorphous silica particles into the stratosphere, 11 miles above the Earth, to reflect sunlight to cool the planet. The startup has raised $75 million since 2023. Since such geoengineering projects are controversial, the project has been stealth until a May 14 announcement.
“Our premise from the start was that the only way
sunlight reflection technology would be considered by governments is if we
provided robust scientifically-based solutions to all the challenges and
concerns and proved it to be safe, practical, and controllable,” Stardust CEO
Yanai Yedvab said in a statement. “That is the mission we took upon ourselves,
and the details we are releasing today represent a major step toward that goal.”
The company is working on two
versions of the particles, one as is, which is at an advanced stage, and
another with calcium carbonate centers to reflect sunlight better. The first is
“fully bio-safe, manufacturable at scale today, and at a very advanced stage
of validation.”
As noted in the graphic below, both forms of particles already exist in natural biogeochemical cycles.
The particles are considered
to be safe and able to settle to the ground with no undesirable effects or
environmental impacts. They stipulate that amorphous silica is not the same as
crystalline silica, which has negative health impacts if breathed. Amorphous
silica has no known health risks at low doses.
The company hopes for
full-scale global deployment by 2035 and also hopes to generate $1.5 billion in
annual revenue. That will not be easy in light of the reputation of such
geoengineering experiments. Concerns about such experiments changing weather
patterns will likely result in strong pushback. A lack of global oversight is
another concern. Others say that private companies should not be heading up
such experiments, but government scientists should be the ones to do them, if
allowed at all.
“This announcement is a clear example of why
self-governance led by for-profit entities does not work,” said Shuchi Talati,
the executive director of the Alliance for Just Deliberation on Solar
Geoengineering, a nonprofit that works to give vulnerable nations and
communities a voice in these climate debates.
Talati’s alliance is working
with the Natural Resources Defense Council, the American Geophysical Union, and
other groups to set standards for solar geoengineering research and
development.
It seems unlikely that the
company will be able to do these experiments without the strong support of
multiple governments and governmental science organizations.
“Stardust has officially gone public with its findings,
publishing six academic papers online that detail its silica particles and
dispersal systems. While many of these papers were co-authored with researchers
from top-tier universities, they have not yet undergone peer review — the
crucial scientific step where outside experts rigorously test and critique the
data before it can be formally accepted.”
“As the company works toward getting these papers
published in official scientific journals, it is also focusing heavily on the
commercial side of things. Stardust is actively seeking patents for its
proprietary particles and tech, securing the intellectual property that forms
the backbone of its multi-billion-dollar business strategy.”
ABSTRACT
References:
A
startup plans to cool Earth by blocking the sun. Christian Saclao. Geek Spin.
May 18, 2026. A startup plans to cool Earth by
blocking the sun
A
closely guarded plan to cool Earth is revealed: A geoengineering company would
use tiny specks of silica to block sun rays — and make billions of dollars.
Corbin Hiar. Politico. May 15, 2026. A
closely guarded plan to cool Earth is revealed - POLITICO
Composite
sub-micron solid particles engineered to enable safe, controllable, efficient,
and practical SAI. Stardust Labs. May 14, 2026. DocSend
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