A California startup has secured federal approval to test a satellite that reflects sunlight to dark spots on Earth. The move has drawn sharp warnings from astronomers and safety experts. Reflect Orbital’s Earendil-1 prototype carries an 18-meter film mirror set to launch later this year. If successful, the firm plans thousands more to form a constellation capable of illuminating patches up to five kilometers wide.
The Federal Communications Commission cleared the demonstration satellite earlier this summer. Illumination levels would reach 0.8 to 2.3 lux, far exceeding the full Moon’s typical 0.05 to 0.3 lux. Company filings acknowledge the reflected beam could appear four times brighter than the Moon inside its target area and as bright as Venus outside it.
Optical engineer Eric Bretschneider compared the hazard to a solar eclipse. “Any time you have a solar eclipse, what do meteorologists, astronomers and eye doctors tell you? Don’t look at it without protection,” he told NBC News. “People’s eyesight gets damaged, so it’s not a question of if it’s going to happen. It’s a question of when.” Royal Astronomical Society deputy executive director Robert Massey told The Verge that amateur astronomers risk permanent blindness if a telescope points toward the satellite.
Reflect Orbital states its satellites default to off and remain under full operator control. “Every spot of light we deliver will be requested, approved and contained,” the company wrote in a statement. It joined the International Astronomical Union’s Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky to coordinate with researchers.
Broader Risks Emerge as Plans Scale
Critics note that accidental observation through even a common 12-inch telescope could cause lasting damage, a risk the company itself flagged in FCC documents. Four environmental groups have petitioned to reverse the approval. DarkSky International called for full environmental review and public accountability before deployment.
A July 2026 European Southern Observatory study found that proposed mega-constellations, including bright reflectors, would exceed safe limits for ground-based astronomy. Author Olivier Hainaut concluded that no more than 100,000 faint satellites should orbit Earth to protect observations. The Verge reported similar concerns from the American Astronomical Society about interference with research telescopes and momentary glare for pilots or drivers.
Recent X posts highlight public unease. One user noted the FCC approval of the “experimental and controversial new satellite” and quipped that eyes are overrated. Another shared details of the 18-square-meter mirror and five-kilometer beam. Astronomers worry they may not know when beams activate or where they appear, raising chances of unintended direct views.
The prototype launch will test both the technology and its real-world effects on the night sky. Existing satellite constellations already leave streaks in telescope images. Adding directed sunlight beams would compound those problems, according to analyses from Astronomy.com and Rubin Observatory reports.