FCC clears startup to test orbital mirrors

A California startup has won FCC approval to test satellites designed to reflect sunlight back toward Earth, opening the door to one of the more unusual space projects now moving toward orbit.

Reflect Orbital plans to launch its Eärendil-1 spacecraft with four thin-film reflectors measuring about 18 meters — roughly 60 feet — across in low Earth orbit. The company says the mirrors could direct reflected sunlight at specific locations for short periods, with potential uses in construction, search and rescue, and solar power generation.

Reflect Orbital says its system could eventually deliver up to 36,000 lux, which it describes as roughly comparable to real outdoor daylight. It also says the platform could provide around 100 lux continuously, similar to lighting levels in typical indoor workspaces.

“We’re grateful to the FCC for recognizing the importance of testing novel technologies in space.” “This license is the first step toward rigorously testing our technology’s efficacy and the safeguards we have developed.”

The idea has already drawn comparisons to the fictional Icarus satellite in the James Bond film _Die Another Day_, though the real-world proposal is far less dramatic. Still, critics say the same basic concern applies: once deployed at scale, orbital reflectors could create unintended effects far beyond their intended targets.

Astronomers warn about brighter skies

Scientists say those effects could be significant. Astronomers have warned that reflected sunlight from thousands of satellites could disrupt observations of faint objects across the night sky.

Recommended reading

Local ammonia plants can work—but only in the right places

Tony Tyson, chief scientist at the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, called the proposal “even crazier” than earlier satellite constellation problems affecting astronomy. The European Southern Observatory has warned that a full deployment could increase sky brightness at its sites by three to four times, making it harder for telescopes to detect distant, faint sources.

Researchers have also raised concerns about artificial nighttime lighting disrupting biological systems that depend on natural day-night cycles, affecting plants, animals, and humans.

The FCC said scientific and environmental issues fall outside its direct authority, which is focused mainly on communications services involving radio, television, satellite, and related systems. The agency approved the testing on the basis that enabling new space technologies supports innovation and economic development.

Opponents may instead push for scrutiny from agencies including NASA and the Environmental Protection Agency, which handle broader questions around space activity and environmental impact.

Future testing, oversight, and independent scientific review will now determine whether orbital mirrors become a practical tool — or a new source of light pollution from space.