Sun-Reflecting Satellite Sparks Astronomy Debate as FCC Greenlights Demonstration
The FCC approved Reflect Orbital’s Earendil-1 mission, a single-satellite demonstration that would reflect sunlight to Earth at night with a steerable mirror; while hailed as a potential breakthrough in solar energy delivery and disaster lighting, scientists warn it could brighten wide swaths of the sky, disrupt dark-sky research, and set a precedent for tens of thousands of satellites without robust regulation.
