The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has approved Reflect Orbital to launch a first “space mirror” satellite intended to reflect sunlight toward dark regions of Earth at night. Multiple outlets report the authorization is for an initial experimental mission, not the full scale envisioned by the company. Reflect Orbital is based in Hawthorne, California, and its first satellite—described as Eärendil-1 in one report—will be placed in low Earth orbit.
While the FCC approval clears the way for the demonstration, astronomers and some environmental groups have raised concerns. Critics say a large network of mirror satellites could increase the brightness of the night sky and potentially disrupt astronomical observations, with one astronomy estimate cited across coverage suggesting the natural night-sky background could rise substantially under a much larger deployment. Reported criticism also includes potential impacts such as effects on ecosystems, and some coverage notes safety and visibility concerns.
Reflect Orbital says it aims to prove “sunlight on demand” by directing reflected light with a proposed system that, according to several reports, could involve thousands of satellites in later phases. For now, the approval covers the first mission and related radio operations in the near term.
