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Sunlight at Night? Astronomers Fire Back at Controversial FCC Approval of Reflect Orbital's ...
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Fusion42 · 16 July 2026 · Fusion42 review
The FCC has approved Reflect Orbital's Eärendil-1 proof-of-concept satellite, which uses an 18-by-18-meter reflective surface to redirect sunlight to Earth after dark. Astronomers are mounting strong opposition, warning the technology and the company's planned constellation of up to 50,000 mirrors would interfere with scientific observations and alter the night sky.
This Wire brief sits within Fusion42's coverage of Space Tech.
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If you build ground station optics, telescope sensors, or night-sky monitoring systems, Reflect Orbital just became your adversary and your customer at the same time. The FCC has green-lit orbital light infrastructure; astronomers will need ways to filter it, and anyone selling into observatories or space agencies will face de-facto demand for countermeasures.
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1 source · 16 Jul 2026
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