US startup Reflect Orbital tests ground-based lights to simulate space mirrors
The company aims to deploy 50,000 mirror-equipped satellites to redirect sunlight to Earth after sunset.
A US startup, Reflect Orbital, conducted an experiment near Lone Pine, California, on October 10, 2026, to simulate the effect of space mirrors. According to Moneycontrol, the demonstration used powerful ground-based spotlights to recreate the illumination its proposed satellite network could produce.
The company intends to launch a constellation of approximately 50,000 satellites equipped with large mirrors. These satellites would capture sunlight in orbit and redirect it toward selected locations on the ground, potentially illuminating areas around three miles wide.
Reflect Orbital plans to use the system for applications including agriculture, solar energy generation, and emergency rescue operations. The company's first demonstration satellite, Earendil-1, has received approval from the US Federal Communications Commission and is designed to carry a 59-foot (18-metre) deployable mirror.
The startup has proposed launching the Earendil-1 satellite in 2027. The experiment in the California desert also examined how artificial light might assist search-and-rescue teams working in areas with little to no lighting.
The proposal has raised concerns regarding the impact on the night sky and wildlife. Astronomers have expressed concern that reflected light could interfere with observations of celestial objects, while questions remain about how the light might affect nocturnal animals and human sleep patterns.
