Four environmental organizations filed a petition Thursday asking the Federal Communications Commission to reverse its approval of Reflect Orbital’s plan to beam on-demand sunlight from space to Earth. According to the petition, the agency ignored the project’s potential impacts on wildlife, astronomy research, and eye safety when it authorized the startup’s Earendil-1 demonstration satellite last month.
Coalition Targets FCC Approval Over Wildlife and Safety Concerns
DarkSky International, Environment America, the American Bird Conservancy, and Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility filed the joint petition to overturn the authorization. The approved test mission involves launching a 59-foot-wide mirror designed to reflect sunlight onto a specific spot on the planet during periods of darkness. While the FCC greenlit only a single test mission, the petition argues it could pave the way for a much larger constellation of satellites in the future.
Earthjustice attorney Jan Hasselman described the proposal as a uniquely bad idea. “It is the Wild West in space right now, and corporations like Reflect Orbital are rushing to fill the gap,” Hasselman said, according to the filing.
Reflect Orbital’s overarching goal is to provide customers with sunlight whenever it is needed, bypassing limitations of time, geography, and ground infrastructure. The company envisions operating a megaconstellation of more than 50,000 satellites by 2035. According to company statements cited in reporting, the system would avoid lighting sensitive environments or astronomy areas, and the reflected light could be adjusted or turned off by rotating the satellite in orbit. The FCC’s order authorizing the mission states that Earendil-1 will test whether a satellite can reflect sunlight onto a specific area on Earth at night by focusing a roughly 3.1-mile-wide beam from an altitude of around 400 miles. NBC News reached out to the FCC for comment but did not immediately receive a response, and Reflect Orbital declined to comment on the petition.
Astronomers Warn of Global Telescope Interference
Astronomers argue that telescopes amplify incoming light, raising acute concerns about ground-based astronomy research. Samantha Lawler, an associate professor of astronomy at the University of Regina in Saskatchewan, studies how satellites alter the night sky. She stated that Reflect Orbital’s satellite would affect astronomical research worldwide rather than just a single observatory.
“Any time the satellite is above the horizon, it will wash out the night sky, so astronomers everywhere in the world will have to pay attention to where the satellite is,” Lawler said, noting that the company has not indicated how it will coordinate with observatories. “That could destroy a camera on a telescope. It can also damage people’s eyes.”
Did you know? Reflect Orbital’s proposed megaconstellation could eventually scale to more than 50,000 satellites by 2035, according to company projections outlined in the filings.
Eye Safety and Glare Risks for Pilots and Drivers
The petition outlines that even a single satellite could expose thousands of people beneath the reflected beam to sudden illumination without warning. Optical engineer and LED lighting expert Eric Bretschneider warned that concentrating sunlight into an intensely bright point in the night sky creates glare that poses safety risks for pilots and drivers, comparing the effect to a helicopter shining a spotlight directly at a person. Bretschneider also questioned practicality, noting cloud cover would limit usefulness for rescue missions and solar power projects.
“Any time you have a solar eclipse, what do meteorologists, astronomers and eye doctors tell you? Don’t look at it without protection. Why? Sunlight is incredibly intense,” Bretschneider said. He added that the business plan is predicated on artificially recreating the lighting scenario of a near-total eclipse, warning that people might instinctively look toward an unfamiliar nighttime spotlight and suffer permanent retina damage.
Disruption to Nocturnal Wildlife and Migratory Species
The environmental coalition maintains that artificial nighttime illumination alters the behavior of migratory birds, insects, and other nocturnal species that rely on natural dark skies to navigate, feed, and reproduce. Because Earendil-1 tests technology intended for a much larger network, the groups argue the FCC was legally required to evaluate these ecological effects prior to approval.
“We don’t know how a space mirror is going to disturb wildlife, because it’s never been done before, but we do know how light at night disturbs wildlife,” said Ruskin Hartley, executive director and CEO of DarkSky International. “Basically, every animal that has been studied at night, if you introduce artificial light into their environment, there is an impact from bats to birds.”
Hasselman reiterated that the legal challenge seeks to compel federal regulators to fulfill their statutory duties. “The FCC needs to take their responsibilities under the law seriously,” he said. “So give us a full review. Listen to the public. Disclose the environmental impacts.” The petition asks the full commission to reverse the Space Bureau’s decision and require a thorough environmental, safety, and public interest review before allowing the demonstration satellite to proceed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Reflect Orbital’s Earendil-1 mission?
Earendil-1 is a demonstration satellite carrying a 59-foot-wide mirror designed to test reflecting a 3.1-mile-wide beam of sunlight onto a specific spot on Earth at night from a 400-mile altitude.
Why are environmental groups opposing the FCC approval?
DarkSky International, Environment America, American Bird Conservancy, and Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility argue the FCC failed to evaluate potential risks to wildlife, eye safety, and astronomy research.
What do astronomers say about the space mirror project?
Astronomers like Samantha Lawler warn that the reflected light will wash out the night sky across the globe, potentially damaging telescope cameras and disrupting worldwide research.
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