Revision History

The FCC is weighing whether to approve Reflect Orbital's application to launch Earendil-1, an 18-meter mirror satellite that would beam reflected sunlight onto Earth at night — the first step in an eventual constellation of up to 50,000 orbital reflectors. The proposal has drawn fierce opposition from astronomers, ecologists, and dark sky advocates who warn of catastrophic consequences for scientific observation, wildlife, and human health, while exposing a gaping regulatory void for novel space activities.