Reflect Orbital plans to launch test satellite Eärendil-1 with an 18-by-18-meter mirror this year, aiming for 50,000 larger 54-by-54-meter satellites to beam sunlight on demand for solar charging, emergency response, and military use. The FCC approved the launch in July, but astronomers warn of severe night sky impact.

Miroslav Kocifaj of the Slovak Academy of Sciences published modeling in Astrophysical Journal Letters showing a single satellite would appear 40 times brighter than the full moon within its five-kilometer target beam, and as bright as the full moon 14 kilometers away. Combining 400 satellites would yield light as bright as 10,000 full moons (2.4% of the sun) in the target area, with a visible glow up to 80 kilometers away. Samantha Lawler calls this "incompatible with astronomy," while Olivier Hainaut's earlier work predicted 300% worldwide sky brightening.

CEO Ben Nowack disputes the findings, claiming safeguards and exclusion zones address scattering but providing no data. Dark Sky International and the American Bird Conservancy urged the FCC to reverse approval, citing risks to astronomy, aviation, and wildlife. Reflect Orbital itself warns that observing Eärendil-1 with telescopes larger than 12 inches may be unsafe for human eyes.

Legal gaps persist: the FCC only regulates radio frequencies, not light reflection. Space lawyer Michelle Hanlon notes potential benefits but unclear legal basis, suggesting cross-border approvals may be needed. The debate continues as astronomers divert research time to impact calculations.