On July 9, the Federal Communications Commission authorized Reflect Orbital to build, launch, and operate a mirror satellite in low Earth orbit. The experimental satellite, named Eärendil-1, is designed to reflect sunlight onto specific locations on Earth during the night. The Santa Monica, California–based startup aims to ensure a continuous supply of light for large solar panel installations, allowing them to generate electricity even after nightfall and thereby overcoming one of the main limitations of this renewable energy source. The company also highlights the technology’s potential for use in construction sites and during search-and-rescue efforts.
Eärendil-1 Specifications and Orbital Mechanics
The Eärendil-1 mission is a test of the company’s ability to direct reflected sunlight to specific areas on Earth for several minutes at a time. The 142-kilogram spacecraft is scheduled to launch later this year into an orbit 600 to 650 kilometers in altitude. Once in position, the satellite will deploy an 18-meter, 324-square-meter aluminized Mylar reflector. This reflector is capable of illuminating areas 5 to 6 kilometers in diameter—or roughly 3.1 miles wide—for brief periods. According to Ben Nowack, the chief executive of Reflect Orbital, the satellite will be orbiting 400 miles up at 17,500 miles per hour, meaning the illumination will last only five minutes before the satellite moves out of range. Nowack has described the light produced by this first satellite as being as faint as a full moon, covering an area of about 6,000 acres, or the size of an airport.
Reflect Orbital Plans for a 50,000 Satellite Constellation
The company’s long-term vision is significantly more expansive. Reflect Orbital envisions a fleet of 36 satellites aloft by next year, which the company claims could provide 2.5 hours of light by having multiple mirrors cooperate from different spots in orbit. By 2030, the company projects a constellation of 5,000 satellites, with an ultimate goal of surrounding Earth with a fleet of over 50,000 mirrors by 2035. Regarding these plans, Nowack told TIME, “From the beginning, we’ve been designing our satellites to be very precise. We want to precisely control where our sunlight is going, and we only want to light up areas that want that sunlight.”
European Southern Observatory Objections to Night Sky Interference
The project has faced significant public and professional pushback. While the FCC reviewed the application, it received nearly 2,000 public comments, including objections from leading astronomical organizations. Betty Kioko, institutional affairs officer for the European Southern Observatory, described the project as an “existential threat” for optical astronomy. John Logsdon, professor emeritus at George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs and former director of the school’s Space Policy Institute, noted that astronomers worry a constellation of orbital mirrors “might compromise the ability to view the night skies.” Other critics have raised concerns regarding safety, specifically the risk of “temporary flash blinding of pilots and drivers.”
Despite these objections, the FCC granted the authorization by citing the Communications Act. The commission dismissed environmental concerns as “unrelated to the Commission’s role in authorizing use of radiofrequency spectrum,” and limited the current approval to the single demonstration satellite. Nowack expressed his gratitude for the decision, stating, 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.
Find more reporting in our Technology section.
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