FCC grants approval for Reflect Orbital space mirror test over light pollution objections

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has approved a test of a 60-by-60-foot space mirror designed to reflect sunlight back to Earth after dark, authorizing the company Reflect Orbital to launch a single satellite named Earendil-1. The decision came over objections from astronomers, environmental groups, and public commenters who warned of intrusive light pollution and disruption to human and animal circadian rhythms.

Reflect Orbital claims the reflected beam will cover an area roughly five kilometers wide and will need to be repointed every four minutes to track a ground target. The company states the technology could provide “sunlight on demand” for agriculture, emergency response, and industrial applications.

Plans for a 50,000-satellite mega-constellation

Although the current approval covers only one satellite, Reflect Orbital has disclosed plans to deploy more than 50,000 mirrors in low Earth orbit by 2035. The scale of the project has drawn comparisons to the Starlink mega-constellation and has intensified debate over the growing clutter in low Earth orbit.

• The mirror satellite is named Earendil-1, after a fictional star in J.R.R. Tolkien’s legendarium.
• Reflect Orbital brands itself as “the sunlight company” and has marketed the concept as a way to extend daylight for solar farms after sunset.
• Critics argue that repointing flashes could distract pilots and drivers, and that the bright beams could overload sensitive detectors on research telescopes and star-tracking cameras on other satellites.
• Astronomers and animal behavior researchers have warned that artificial night-time sunlight could disrupt the breeding, migration, and feeding cycles of nocturnal species.

FCC sidesteps environmental and safety concerns

In its order, the FCC stated that “the risks of harm raised on the record regarding Reflect Orbital’s solar reflector are unrelated to the Commission’s role in authorizing use of radiofrequency spectrum.” The agency limited its review to spectrum interference and orbital debris compliance, declining to weigh the broader environmental impacts that opponents had raised.

The approval arrives as the FCC itself has acknowledged the rise of what it calls “weird space stuff” in a recent policy document. The document listed private space stations, orbital manufacturing, and even space advertising as emerging activities that challenge existing regulatory frameworks. Meanwhile, SpaceX has filed for permission to launch one million additional satellites for AI data centers, and four rival companies have submitted proposals for tens of thousands of satellites each. Reflect Orbital plans to begin testing Earendil-1 within the next 12 months. If the test succeeds, the company will seek permission for a larger demonstration before scaling toward its full constellation.