Reflect Orbital space mirror plan sparks safety and environmental concerns

Reflect Orbital, a California-based space technology company, has received FCC approval to launch Eärendil-1, a test satellite designed to beam sunlight to specific locations on Earth using a large orbital mirror. The mission serves as a precursor to a proposed constellation of 50,000 mirrors intended to support solar farms, boost crop yields, and assist nighttime search-and-rescue operations.

However, experts and researchers have raised significant concerns regarding the environmental and safety impacts of the technology. A study published in Astrophysical Journal Letters indicates that the reflected light could be intense; a single 54-meter mirror could create an illuminated zone roughly four times brighter than a full moon.

Potential risks include eye damage for astronomers using optical equipment, flash blindness for pilots and drivers, and the disruption of biological circadian rhythms due to altered light-dark patterns. Researchers noted that the scattered glow from the mirrors could be visible even from distances of 14 kilometers away from the direct beam.