The Federal Communications Commission approved Reflect Orbital’s Earendil‑1, a 5‑kilometre‑wide mirror that will redirect sunlight to Earth in four‑minute intervals. The test satellite will pilot a network that the companyharia claims}}, should grow to more than 50,000 units by 2035, targeting agriculture, emergency lighting and industrial sectors.

Rep‑pointing flashes raise safety flags. Pilots and drivers could see sudden bright bursts, while circadian cycles of plants and animals might shift. Sensitive detectors on ground‑based telescopes and low‑orbit cameras risk saturation or damage. The FCC noted that these risks lie outside its radio‑frequency remit.

Earendil‑1 sits amid a wave of “weird space” proposals. SpaceX already hosts about 11,000 Starlink satellites; it filed a 1‑million‑satellite AI data‑center plan, and a 100,000‑satellite add‑on to that network. The FCC’s swift approvals leave scientists 30 days to model mass, size, and orbit details, creating a collision‑risk gap.

Environmental impacts compound the debate. Beamed solar power could alter atmospheric chemistry and threaten wildlife; debris from decommissioned satellites may tumble into Earth, unevenly re‑entering and depositing metal. The rapid growth of low‑Earth orbit traffic challenges existing regulatory frameworks and long‑term orbital sustainability.