US FCC approves Reflect Orbital space‑mirror test for on‑demand sunlight

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has issued a license for California‑based startup Reflect Orbital to launch its first experimental satellite, Eärendil‑1, later this year. The 142‑kg spacecraft will deploy an 18‑meter thin‑film reflector in low‑Earth orbit (about 625 km altitude) that can redirect sunlight to a target on the ground for a few minutes, covering an area of roughly 5 km in diameter.

Reflect Orbital says the technology could extend daylight for disaster‑response teams, solar‑farm operations, construction sites and other time‑critical activities. The company’s long‑term vision is a constellation of up to 50,000 similar mirrors by 2035, which it calls “sunlight on demand.”

Astronomers and environmental groups have raised strong objections, warning that a large fleet could dramatically increase light pollution, impair astronomical observations and disrupt the circadian rhythms of plants, animals and humans. Tony Tyson of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory called the plan “even crazier” than existing satellite constellations. The FCC concluded that such ecological and astronomical concerns fall outside its regulatory authority, which is limited to radio‑frequency use, and approved the single‑satellite test despite nearly 1,800 public comments.

Reflect Orbital’s founders, former SpaceX engineer Ben Nowack and co‑founder Tristan Semmelhack, have secured a $1.25 million contract with the U.S. Air Force and $20 million in venture funding to pursue the project.