On July 9, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) authorised a company named Reflect Orbital to launch and operate a test satellite designed to deploy a large mirror in orbit around the earth, despite the controversy and debate surrounding its aims.
Eärendil-1 — named for a character in the Tolkien fantasy epic The Silmarillion — will be a single satellite in a non-geostationary orbit fit with a “deployable, highly specular thin-film reflector”. The reflector will be motorised and can be steered to different orientations. Its purpose is to reflect sunlight towards specific spots on the earth at nighttime. Reflect Orbital has said it intends to use this technology to extend the usable hours for solar panels and provide light during “critical operations” like emergency or humanitarian missions.
The satellite will operate at an altitude of around 625 km with a high inclination of 88°. The FCC has granted a limited two-year license for the test.
The approval itself followed significant debate. Organisations like the American Astronomical Society (AAS) raised concerns regarding background skyglow and the mission’s potential to disrupt optical astronomy. In its order (DA 26-706), the FCC ruled that while it regulates radiofrequency interference and orbital debris, the visual impact of reflected sunlight is outside its statutory authority.
Nonetheless, the FCC has also imposed some conditions. Reflect Orbital has to coordinate with NASA, the U.S. National Science Foundation, and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to protect astronomy, and Earendil-1 has to abide by specific duty cycles and conjunction angles to avoid interfering with other missions.
Published - July 12, 2026 12:00 pm IST