FCC Greenlights Reflect Orbital's Sunlight-Reflecting Satellite Test

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has granted approval for the launch of Eärendil-1, a pioneering satellite from Reflect Orbital. This spacecraft is designed to test the feasibility of reflecting sunlight into nighttime regions on Earth, a concept that has ignited significant debate and criticism from both the astronomy and environmental communities. The FCC officially authorized the project on July 9, paving the way for the satellite to deploy an 18-meter by 18-meter thin-film reflector in low Earth orbit.

Weighing 142 kilograms, Eärendil-1 is slated for launch later this year. It will orbit at an altitude between 600 and 650 kilometers, where it will unfurl its reflective surface. Reflect Orbital intends to use the mission to evaluate its capacity to direct concentrated sunlight to specific terrestrial locations for brief periods. "We’re grateful to the FCC for recognizing the importance of testing novel technologies in space," stated Ben Nowack, chief executive of Reflect Orbital. "This license is the first step toward rigorously testing our technology’s efficacy and the safeguards we have developed." The company reports substantial interest in its technology for applications such as lighting construction sites and aiding search-and-rescue operations. Furthermore, Reflect Orbital proposes using similar satellites to augment energy production at terrestrial solar farms by directing sunlight onto them.

Concerns Mount Over Astronomical and Ecological Disruption

Despite potential commercial and practical applications, the Reflect Orbital concept has faced robust opposition. Environmental advocates have voiced concerns that a large constellation of such satellites—Reflect Orbital has envisioned deploying thousands—could disrupt natural diurnal cycles, negatively impacting plant and animal life. Astronomers, meanwhile, are worried about potential interference with their observations and the risk of damage to sensitive telescope equipment or even to observers themselves.

At a National Academies meeting on June 4, Tony Tyson, a distinguished research professor at the University of California, Davis, and chief scientist for the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, described the Reflect Orbital proposals as more concerning than the broadband satellite constellations that have already drawn significant attention from astronomers. Tyson expressed apprehension that the thin-film reflectors might not offer precise directional control of sunlight, potentially scattering it widely. "Imagine the sky full of moons," he remarked, illustrating the potential for widespread light pollution.

The European Southern Observatory (ESO), which operates key astronomical facilities in Chile, issued a statement on July 1 highlighting the severe implications for ground-based astronomy. According to ESO, a proposed constellation of 50,000 Reflect Orbital satellites could increase background sky brightness at its observatories by a factor of three to four. Such an increase would severely hinder the ability of telescopes to detect faint celestial objects, which are crucial for many scientific discoveries. The application submitted by Reflect Orbital to the FCC nearly a year prior generated approximately 1,900 comments, the majority of which expressed opposition due to potential environmental and astronomical impacts. For comparison, SpaceX's application for up to 1 million orbital data center satellites, also a source of concern for astronomers, received nearly 1,500 comments.

Betty Kioko, ESO's institutional affairs officer, commented on the situation: "The ball is now in the FCC’s court, and we wait to see the determinations they make on both filings. For optical astronomy, this is an existential threat, and we hope that the regulators will share that view." In its formal order, the FCC largely sidestepped these concerns, asserting that impacts on astronomy or the environment fell outside its regulatory purview. "We find that concerns about Eärendil-1’s impacts on optical astronomy fall outside our review and authorization of the space station and are not a basis for denial of or additional conditions on Reflect Orbital’s operations," the FCC stated. The commission did note that Reflect Orbital has pledged to collaborate with NASA and the National Science Foundation to address concerns related to optical astronomy and to engage with the broader astronomical community.

The FCC rejected arguments that approving Eärendil-1 would not serve the public interest. Instead, the agency concluded, "to the contrary, it is in the public interest to make spectrum available to encourage companies to test new and innovative space activities, as it promotes American innovation and the new services and economic growth that come from that innovation." This decision underscores the FCC's stance on fostering technological advancement in space, even amidst significant opposition.