The key facts

  • Reflect Orbital is developing the idea of satellites with mirrors that would reflect sunlight onto specific areas of Earth after sunset
  • On July 9, 2026, the FCC authorized the company to launch and operate the experimental satellite Earendil-1, despite objections from the astronomical community
  • In October, the company conducted a ground test in California with searchlights; local astronomers were not notified in advance

The idea of 'light on demand' and the first test

Reflect Orbital is developing the concept of 'sunlight as a service': the plan is to launch satellites with large mirrors into orbit that would direct sunlight onto specific areas of the Earth and provide illumination on demand even after nightfall. Kun.uz reports on the initiative. In October, the company conducted a ground demonstration in the California desert: powerful searchlights illuminated a hillside and the surrounding area to show what kind of lighting light reflected from future space mirrors could create on the surface.

FCC approval and astronomers' discontent

On July 9, 2026, the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) authorized the company to launch and operate the experimental satellite Earendil-1; the decision was made despite objections from the astronomical community. Scientists are particularly alarmed by the prospect of thousands of artificial satellites appearing in the future that could light up the night sky. Additional discontent was caused by the October test itself: local astronomers were not warned about it in advance. According to the publication, the experiment came as a surprise to some local officials and the county administration as well; it remains unclear whether the company obtained a permit to conduct the test and how it was formalized.

What the demonstration showed

In a promotional image published by the company, a landscape near the town of Long Pine in California is captured: a distant powerful light source cast long shadows from low shrubs, and the level of illumination on the area, according to Kun.uz, was stronger than the light provided by the Moon. Reflect Orbital representatives emphasize the project's practical benefits: according to them, sunlight reflected from space could expand the capabilities of solar energy (by delivering light to areas after sunset), facilitate nighttime search-and-rescue operations by illuminating dark places, and help in rapid response to natural disasters. Critics of the project, however, point to the threat to the night sky: if the idea is scaled up, orbit could be filled with thousands of glowing devices, which would affect astronomical observations.