Moscow is developing a satellite that will be the brightest man-made object in the night sky

MOSCOW, Russia - Russia has a grand plan of lighting up the night sky and is planning to launch a satellite that it claims will become the brightest man-made object in the sky.

The new source of light in the sky, which will be an experimental Russian satellite, will become the third brightest object behind only the sun and the moon.

Developed by the Moscow Polytechnic University, the satellite Mayak or beacon in Russian, is preparing to unfurl the giant, pyramid-shaped sheet.

The experiment is reportedly part of a $37,700 crowdfunded campaign initiated by an advertising company called 12 digital.

According to reports, the agency wants to explore how practical it could be to launch enormous advertising ‘billboards’ into outer space.

Currently, the satellite is believed to be testing the technicalities of unfurling enormous reflecting banners in orbit.

Over the weekend, Mayak became one of 72 satellites sent into space aboard a Soyuz rocket and is now in position 600 km above the Earth.

It is now undergoing checks and preparations ahead of extending a 16 square metre metallised mylar sheet.

The company has said that once the reflective sheet is deployed, Mayak will overtake the International Space Station as the brightest man-made object in the sky, flashing overhead up to 16 times every day.

They have also confirmed that the satellite will be able to be tracked via a phone app.

However, as grand as the experiment is - it has managed to annoy some.

Mayak has reportedly upset astronomers as the brightness of the reflective sheet is expected to cause issues among ground-based telescopes.

Reports noted that the telescopes, already carefully time observations, to avoid light spilling over from celestial bodies, which would ruin exposures.

However, Mayak’s Russian makers expect it to stay in orbit for just a month before burning up.

The mylar sheet is also intended to act as an aerodynamic braking mechanism, capturing enough of the ultra-thin high-altitude atmosphere to drag it back down.