FCC Approves Reflect Orbital's Space Mirror Test Despite Safety Warnings
A California startup plans to launch a 60-foot orbital mirror to provide 'sunlight on demand,' sparking fears of permanent eye damage for astronomers and pilots.
The Federal Communications Commission has granted approval for California-based Reflect Orbital to launch Eärendil-1, a test satellite designed to reflect sunlight onto specific terrestrial targets. The project marks a commercial attempt to utilize orbital optics for industrial use, raising immediate alarms among the scientific and aviation communities.
Eärendil-1 will feature a mirror approximately 60 feet (18 meters) across, capable of illuminating a ground area roughly three miles wide. While this first launch is a proof-of-concept, Reflect Orbital's long-term vision is far more expansive: a fleet of up to 50,000 space mirrors. The company intends to market this as a "sunlight on demand" service, targeting applications such as boosting solar energy production, increasing agricultural crop yields, and assisting in search-and-rescue disaster relief operations.
A Century of Orbital Ambition
The concept of space mirrors has existed for over a century. In the 1990s, Russian scientists conducted similar experiments under the Znamya project, which sought to illuminate cities from orbit. However, Reflect Orbital is the first to attempt a large-scale commercialization of the technology in the modern era, moving the concept from government-funded experimentation to a private-sector service model.
Risks to Sight and Safety
The project has drawn sharp criticism from experts who warn of significant physical dangers. According to FCC filings and expert warnings, the concentrated reflection poses a severe risk to astronomers; specifically, an individual using a 12-inch telescope to view the satellite could suffer permanent eye damage. Beyond the scientific community, there are concerns regarding "flash blindness" for pilots and drivers, who could be momentarily blinded by the intense beam of reflected light during critical maneuvers.
The Path Forward
As Reflect Orbital moves toward the launch of Eärendil-1, the industry is watching to see how the company addresses these safety concerns. While the FCC has provided the regulatory green light for the test, the potential for widespread disruption—ranging from aviation hazards to the impact on nocturnal ecosystems—remains a point of contention. It remains to be seen whether a public notification system will be implemented to warn those on the ground when a beam is active, or how the company will mitigate the risks to orbital observers.