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FCC greenlights 18-m reflector satellite; astronomers warn glare

7/13/2026

Summary

Reflect Orbital Launches

The FCC approved Reflect Orbital’s Eärendil-1 satellite July 9, 2026; it will deploy an 18-m reflector at 600–650 km to emit a 5-km light beam.
Reflect Orbital plans 50,000 satellites for 2035, delivering 36,000 lux for hours or 100 lux for construction and solar-farm use.
Astronomers warn the constellation could raise brightness 200–300 percent, hindering detection, but the FCC said it lies outside its jurisdiction; firm will work with NASA and National Science Foundation on safeguards.

Summary

Reflect Orbital Lights

Reflect Orbital will charge clients for illumination and negotiate revenue-sharing with solar-farm operators.
Its test satellite, a dormitory refrigerator in size, will deploy a 60-foot mirror that lights a three-mile-wide area, echoing a brief 1990s Russian experiment.
Future 180-foot mirrors could emit light equal to 100 full moons for construction, farming and city lighting.
Analysts warn that scaling the system could reshape energy, emergency response and urban planning, raising concerns.

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Reflect Orbital Launches

The FCC approved Reflect Orbital’s Eärendil-1 satellite July 9, 2026; it will deploy an 18-m reflector at 600–650 km to emit a 5-km light beam.
Reflect Orbital plans 50,000 satellites for 2035, delivering 36,000 lux for hours or 100 lux for construction and solar-farm use.
Astronomers warn the constellation could raise brightness 200–300 percent, hindering detection, but the FCC said it lies outside its jurisdiction; firm will work with NASA and National Science Foundation on safeguards.

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