FCC Grants a Private Company the Right to Mirror Sunlight at Night
Reflect Orbital's Earendil-1 satellite will test steering reflected sunlight onto ground targets after dusk.
- FCC Space Bureau adopted and released Order DA 26-706 on July 9, 2026.
- The order authorizes only a test flight, not a commercial fleet of mirrors.
- The approval binds only Reflect Orbital, it sets no rule for other satellite operators.
Why it matters: No court and no vote decided this, one federal bureau did, over a sky that belongs to everyone.
FCC Space Bureau, Order and Authorization, DA 26-706 ↗ · Jul 11, 20267/11/26 · ✓ Checked✓ Check