FCC approves Reflect Orbital sun-reflecting test satellite

The Federal Communications Commission has approved a controversial test satellite designed to reflect sunlight to Earth after dark, granting a license to the California-based startup Reflect Orbital. The commission issued the license on July 9, 2026, authorizing the launch of the Eärendil-1 satellite into low Earth orbit later this year.

The approval allows Reflect Orbital to proceed with a demonstration of its core technology: a satellite that will deploy a thin-film mirror roughly 60 feet by 60 feet in space. Once operational, the satellite is designed to direct reflected sunlight to specific areas on the ground for several minutes at a time, creating a circular patch of light approximately three miles wide. The company says the technology could provide lighting for nighttime construction, search-and-rescue operations, and disaster response, and could also be used to illuminate terrestrial solar farms to extend their energy production.

The decision came despite significant opposition from astronomers, environmental groups, and wildlife experts. Critics argue that the reflected light could severely interfere with astronomical observations, increase background sky brightness,...