US Communications Regulator Greenlights Controversial Mirror Satellite

The Federal Communications Commission has officially approved the launch of Eärendil-1, a satellite developed by Reflect Orbital that will unfold a massive reflector in low Earth orbit to beam sunlight back to specific locations on Earth at night.

The company touts multiple benefits: boosting agricultural yields with extra light, aiding nighttime rescue operations, replacing street lighting in cities, and even directing reflected sunlight onto solar farms to generate more power. The experimental satellite is expected to launch later this year, with plans to eventually deploy 50,000 such mirror satellites.

But astronomers and environmentalists are sounding alarms. Environmental groups warn that reflected sunlight from hundreds of space mirrors could disrupt the natural day-night cycles of plants and animals. Astronomers fear the mirrors will interfere with telescope observations and could even pose a danger to anyone looking through a telescope lens at the reflected sunlight.

Leading researchers call the plans "crazier" than the already-controversial internet satellite constellations. Tony Tyson, a researcher at the University of California, fears the reflectors may not be aimed precisely enough and could illuminate far larger areas than intended. "Imagine a sky full of moons," he said at a meeting of scientists.

The organization managing Europe's major space telescopes in Chile also expressed concern, warning that reflected sunlight would reduce star visibility and limit telescopes' ability to detect faint objects.

The FCC received nearly 1,900 mostly negative comments about the proposal, but concluded that any impact on astronomy or the environment falls outside its jurisdiction. The agency maintains that approving Eärendil-1 serves the public interest by encouraging innovative space activities, noting that Reflect Orbital has pledged to work with NASA and the NSF to protect astronomy. The company says it will enforce strict exclusion zones around observatories and sensitive environments.