The night sky could soon lose some of its natural darkness if a controversial space project moves forward. Reflect Orbital, a California-based startup, proposes to launch thousands of large mirrors into orbit to reflect sunlight back to Earth after sunset.
The proposed plan is to use approximately 4,000 reflector satellites that can be up to 55 meters wide, tasked with redirecting solar rays at night to required locations such as city sites or solar power plants. The goal is to provide additional daylight and improve the performance of solar panels during the night when solar panels are not in use.
Nevertheless, experts have warned that this plan endangers one of the planet’s most vulnerable commons: darkness.
The astronomical community is very concerned. Research conducted by Dr. Alejandro S. Borlaff of NASA’s Ames Research Center found that existing satellite orbits are already causing problems for astronomers. The shiny surfaces cause streaks on images received by telescopes and make it more difficult to see faint objects in the sky.
Reflect Orbital plans to orbit its mirrors in a sun-synchronous orbit around the border between day and night, allowing it to reflect sunlight while Earth is in darkness.
However, this orbit would reach its brightest spot during sunrise and sunset, which are very important times for astronomical observations and for life processes.
The Federal Communications Commission’s proposed licensing of its first test satellite, Earendil-1, will take place in the early months of April 2026. In the experiment, witnesses in designated areas should expect to see a bright light across the sky.
This is despite the company’s claim that the mirror tilts away after each pass. Still, atmospheric diffusion can cause light to reach areas further from the focus.
By some estimates, the reflected beam could appear several times brighter than the full moon and remain visible up to 60 miles away. Even short passes can disrupt telescope data and natural habitats over large areas.
