The United States has approved a plan for an unusual space mission involving a satellite equipped with a large mirror to bounce sunlight to the ground after sunset. The Federal Communications Commission granted California startup Reflect Orbital approval to launch its test satellite, Eärendil-1, into low Earth orbit later this year. The company says the system could extend daylight for solar power plants, supply light during emergencies, and support nighttime work at construction sites. The prototype satellite, about the size of a large refrigerator, will unfold a square mirror nearly 60 feet across at roughly 400 miles altitude. The reflected beam would cover a circle about three miles wide. The firm plans to launch around 1,000 bigger satellites by 2028 and up to 50,000 by 2035, with later mirrors reaching nearly 180 feet across and producing light equal to about 100 full moons. Astronomers have objected, warning that the reflections could interfere with telescope observations of faint objects and disrupt studies of the night sky. Concerns also include effects on wildlife behavior and human sleep patterns, plus possible distractions for drivers and pilots. The FCC stated its authority covers only satellite communications and radio use, not environmental effects, and noted that space activities fall outside current US environmental review rules. A similar Russian experiment in 1993 briefly reflected light over Siberia before the effort ended.
