FCC approves giant mirror satellite designed to beam sunlight to Earth after dark

Key Points:

• The FCC has approved Reflect Orbital's Eärendil-1 satellite to operate its radio equipment, marking a key step toward deploying a constellation of satellites with giant Mylar mirrors designed to beam sunlight back to Earth after dark.
• Eärendil-1 will test the technology by unfolding an 18 x 18-meter aluminized Mylar reflector in near-polar orbit to direct sunlight onto specific 5-kilometer-wide areas, aiming to support solar farms and other applications like emergency response and agriculture.
• The FCC rejected calls to block the project over its reflective surface, stating that regulating the mirror itself falls outside its communications spectrum authority.
• The plan has drawn significant criticism from astronomers and environmentalists who warn that thousands of bright reflective satellites could interfere with astronomical observations, disrupt wildlife, affect human sleep, and contribute to orbital debris.
• Reflect Orbital must still build, launch, and operate Eärendil-1 successfully, with SpaceX contracted to launch the first two demonstration satellites; the full constellation requires further approvals and faces technical and regulatory challenges.