FCC approves test of "sunlight on demand" space mirror despite scientific concerns

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has just approved a satellite test by startup Reflect Orbital that aims to redirect sunlight back to Earth using a giant orbital mirror, despite objections from astronomers and concerns about its potential environmental and safety impacts.

This week's approval allows the company to test a single satellite, Earendil-1, which is designed to reflect sunlight onto selected locations on Earth, creating what Reflect Orbital describes as "sunlight on demand."

If successful, the company ultimately plans to deploy a constellation of more than 50,000 satellites by 2035. Reflect Orbital says the technology could provide additional daylight for agriculture, emergency response operations and other industrial applications.

The reflected light from each satellite is expected to illuminate an area roughly five kilometres wide.

The proposal has drawn criticism from scientists, who argue that large-scale orbital mirrors could have unintended consequences for both Earth and space.

As highlighted in an analysis published by The Conversation outlet, experts warn that flashes of reflected light generated while satellites reposition their mirrors could distract or temporarily impair pilots and motorists. Artificial nighttime illumination could also disrupt the circadian rhythms of humans, animals and plants.

Astronomers have raised additional concerns that reflected sunlight could interfere with ground-based observations by overwhelming sensitive telescope detectors. Similar effects could impair star-tracking cameras used by other satellites operating in low-Earth orbit.

Despite those concerns, the FCC said the issues raised during the approval process fell outside its regulatory responsibilities.

According to the commission, "the risks of harm raised on the record regarding Reflect Orbital's solar reflector are unrelated to the Commission's role in authorizing use of radiofrequency spectrum."

Monopoly in crowded low-earth orbit

The Reflect Orbital proposal comes as low-Earth orbit becomes increasingly congested with commercial satellites.

SpaceX currently operates nearly 11,000 Starlink satellites, making it by far the dominant operator in the region. Satellite companies planning new launches must often coordinate with SpaceX to reduce the risk of orbital collisions.

Concerns about congestion have grown following several close encounters between satellites, including a reported near miss involving a Starlink satellite and a Chinese spacecraft in December 2025.

The growing number of satellites has also affected space missions. NASA's Artemis I mission in 2022 and Artemis II in 2026 both incorporated narrow launch windows designed to avoid existing satellites, including Starlink spacecraft.

The rapid commercial expansion of low-Earth orbit has prompted broader debate over the governance of space.

Critics argue that the concentration of orbital resources among a handful of private companies sits uneasily alongside the principles of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, which states that "outer space is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation."

The discussion intensified earlier this year when SpaceX reportedly submitted plans to the FCC seeking approval for up to one million additional satellites intended to support future artificial intelligence data infrastructure.

Whether the increasing commercial occupation of low-Earth orbit remains consistent with the spirit of international space law is becoming an increasingly prominent question as governments and regulators grapple with the rapid expansion of satellite constellations.

By Nazrin Sadigova