Reflect Orbital Approved To Launch A Mirrored Satellite For Sunlight Redirection

A startup aiming to beam reflected sunlight onto Earth has now received regulatory approval from the FCC to launch its first satellite, Earendil-1, into orbit. Reflect Orbital plans to launch two satellites by the end of 2026, then quickly expand its satellite network to over 1,000 by 2028. In a decade’s time, the startup claims it will have over 50,000 in operation, which is several times more than the total number of active satellites orbiting Earth today.

Each satellite will feature mirrors that can redirect sunlight to illuminate parts of the Earth during nighttime hours, which Reflect Orbital says will make its service appealing to a variety of different industries. The construction industry will be able to use the reflected sunlight to extend working hours, it says, while the agricultural industry could use its service to extend seasons. It also claims that U.S. solar farms can be made more efficient using the technology, and that search and rescue teams could use its technology to conduct operations around the clock.

This reflected light would be both dimmable and quickly moveable according to the company, with brightness ranging from the level of a bright moon to the level of the sun at noon. Reflect Orbital says the light will also be confined to a small area, and “will not spill out of the defined service area,” which could be as small as 5km (3.1 miles).

Before approval for the launch was granted, the American Astronomical Society published a letter detailing its opposition to the plans. It noted that there was a risk that drivers or pilots could be temporarily blinded by the reflected sunlight, and that astronomers risked eye damage if they accidentally looked at a satellite with a large enough telescope while it was operating. The AAS also added that “such a satellite could waste taxpayer dollars by degrading the scientific return of federally funded astronomical facilities.”

In a comment to SlashGear’s sister site Engadget, Reflect Orbital highlighted the FCC’s opinion from the approval, which stated that the “likelihood of harm [to telescope users] is extremely small.” It continued, “the benefits of permitting American companies to test innovative technology in space […] outweigh this small risk under unlikely circumstances.”

The same FCC opinion also concluded that a full assessment of the potential ecological risks of the satellite’s operation were outside its remit. Its approval states that “the Commission’s authority pertains to the licensing and operation of a radio station using radiofrequency spectrum,” adding that “it does not have regulatory authority over the licensing and operation of a solar reflector.” 

At the same time, the opinion notes that many of the criticisms directed at Reflect Orbital center around its plans to operate a large network of satellites, while the current approval only grants the use of a single satellite.

In a response published after the FCC’s approval was granted, advocacy group DarkSky International acknowledged this distinction, but said that the approval still “highlights a significant gap in how emerging space technologies are regulated.” If the FCC says that it is not responsible for evaluating the environmental impacts of a sunlight-reflecting satellite, then which authority is? For now, critics say that there remains no clear answer.

After its satellites have launched, Reflect Orbital says it will implement measures to mitigate disruptions caused by its operations. The startup has promised to gain approval from local authorities before providing sunlight, and has said that it will avoid observatories and zones that are designated as protected wildlife habitats. It further adds that details of its operations will be published in advance, which should help minimize the risk of researchers or amateur astronomers accidentally viewing a satellite through a telescope.

Reflect Orbital is not the only American technology company that has ambitious plans for its satellite network. Starlink also plans to upgrade its network, and as a result, is decommissioning hundreds of satellites as they reach the ends of their working lives. These Starlink satellites may be having an alarming effect on the Earth’s atmosphere as they re-renter from orbit, emitting various pollutants as they self-destruct. As startups like Reflect Orbital plan to add tens of thousands more satellites to the already-growing global network, increasing space pollution is yet another problem that some say authorities aren’t doing enough to regulate.