FCC Approves Reflect Orbital Mirror Satellite: Eärendil-1 Test and Controversy

The FCC approval allows Reflect Orbital to test its orbital mirror, Eärendil-1, which was authorized on July 9. The experimental satellite is designed to reflect sunlight onto specific locations on Earth during the night. The project has drawn criticism from astronomers and environmentalists, but the company sees it as a step toward on-demand sunlight for solar farms, search-and-rescue, and critical infrastructure.

What Is Eärendil-1?

Eärendil-1 is a 142-kilogram spacecraft scheduled to launch later this year into an orbit 600 to 650 kilometers in altitude. Once in orbit, it will deploy an 18-meter thin-film reflector. The satellite can illuminate areas 5 to 6 kilometers in diameter for brief periods. The name references a character from J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings series.

The authorization allows the company to deploy the test satellite at an altitude of about 625 kilometers. Its primary objective is to evaluate the technical feasibility of its ultrathin, highly reflective, film-based reflector.

Why the FCC Approval Matters

The FCC's approval is a regulatory milestone for Reflect Orbital, a Santa Monica, California–based startup. “We're grateful to the FCC for granting our application to fly our test mission,” the company said on social media. “This ruling is hugely validating for our company and reflects America's leadership in testing innovative space technology.”

Ben Nowack, chief executive of Reflect Orbital, said in a statement: “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.”

The company argues that the technology could have a variety of civilian, commercial, and government applications. These include providing illumination for search-and-rescue operations, supporting critical infrastructure during emergencies, and extending productive hours for solar energy facilities. The ambitious goal is to ensure a continuous supply of light for large solar panel installations, allowing them to generate electricity even at night, overcoming one of the main limitations of this renewable energy source.

The Controversy: Astronomers and Environmentalists Push Back

The project has generated strong criticism from astronomers and environmentalists. Environmentalists have warned that the reflected sunlight from a constellation of such spacecraft — Reflect Orbital has proposed operating thousands of spacecraft — could disrupt the diurnal cycles of plants and animals.

Astronomers worry that such spacecraft could interfere with their operations and even be dangerous to instruments mounted on telescopes or to people looking through telescope lenses. At a June 4 National Academies meeting, Tony Tyson, distinguished research professor at the University of California, Davis, and chief scientist of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, said the Reflect Orbital project could interfere with telescope operations.

The controversy echoes broader debates about the impact of satellite constellations on astronomy, similar to concerns raised by other space-based projects.

What Happens Next?

The test mission is scheduled for later this year. If successful, Reflect Orbital could move toward deploying more spacecraft. The company said it has seen strong interest in its technology to provide lighting for activities ranging from construction sites to search-and-rescue efforts.

The FCC's decision also raises questions about the regulatory framework for space-based reflectors. The approval signals a permissive stance toward experimental space ventures in the U.S.

For now, Eärendil-1 remains a test. Whether it becomes a tool for energy resilience or a source of light pollution will depend on the data collected in orbit and the regulatory guardrails that follow.