ORBITAL ILLUMINATION · LIVE TRACKING · INDEPENDENT AUTHORITY
SPACE MIRRORS — ALL OPERATORS
Space Mirrors in Orbit
Live Tracker & Counter
Every orbital mirror ever launched, proposed, or cancelled. One independent hub tracking the technology that could reshape how humanity uses sunlight — and the controversy surrounding it.
ORBITAL MIRRORS CURRENTLY IN ORBIT
0
ACTIVE OPERATIONAL MIRRORS
EARENDIL-1 targeting mid-2026 launch · Reflect Orbital
EARENDIL-1 · MID-2026 TARGET
HISTORY SINCE 1993
ASTRONOMERS: "CATASTROPHIC"
3 PROGRAMMES TRACKED
INDEPENDENT · NOT AFFILIATED
MISSION DATABASE
Every Orbital Mirror — All Operators
| MISSION | OPERATOR | YEAR | SIZE | ORBIT | BRIGHTNESS | PURPOSE | STATUS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Znamya 2 | RSC Energia · Russia | 1993 | 20m dia. | LEO ~400km | Urban illumination demo | HISTORICAL | |
| Znamya 2.5 | RSC Energia · Russia | 1999 | 25m dia. | LEO ~400km | Urban illumination (failed) | FAILED | |
| EARENDIL-1 | Reflect Orbital · USA | 2026 target | 18×18m | SSO 625km | Solar farm augmentation, demo | PENDING LAUNCH | |
| Chengdu Space Mirror | CASC · China | 2018 proposal | ~1km² constellation | LEO ~500km | Street lighting replacement | SHELVED | |
| Phase 2 Constellation | Reflect Orbital · USA | 2027–28 plan | 18×18m ×dozens | SSO 625km | Coordinated solar augmentation | PLANNED | |
| Full Constellation | Reflect Orbital · USA | 2030 goal | 18×18m ×4,000 | SSO 625km | On-demand solar power delivery | ASPIRATIONAL |
UPDATED APR 2026 · SOURCE: PUBLIC FCC FILINGS, PUBLISHED RESEARCH, PRESS RECORDS
FULL HISTORY
The Complete Timeline of Orbital Mirrors
1993 · RUSSIA
Znamya 2 — First Success
RSC Energia's Progress M-15 spacecraft deployed a 20m mylar mirror from the Mir space station. It created a brief 5km-wide spot of light sweeping across Europe — the first proof that orbital illumination was physically possible. At magnitude ~5, it was barely visible to the naked eye: a faint, fast-moving point of light, not a dramatic flash. The mirror itself was the achievement; the brightness was modest.
RSC ENERGIAMIR STATIONSUCCESS
1999 · RUSSIA
Znamya 2.5 — Deployment Failure
A larger 25m mirror launched with ambitions to illuminate Russian cities through polar winter. The mirror snagged on an antenna during deployment, failed to fully unfurl, and the mission was abandoned. The Znamya programme was cancelled. No further Russian orbital mirror attempts followed.
DEPLOYMENT FAILUREPROGRAMME ENDED
2018 · CHINA
Chengdu "Artificial Moon" Proposal
Chengdu Aerospace Science announced plans for a constellation of mirrors to replace street lighting across Chengdu — claiming 8× Moon brightness and 1.2 billion yuan in annual savings. Generated global media coverage and immediate astronomer backlash. The project was quietly shelved; no satellites were built.
CHINASHELVEDURBAN LIGHTING
2021–2025 · USA
Reflect Orbital — Founded & Funded
Reflect Orbital founded October 2021 by Ben Nowack (ex-SpaceX) and Tristan Semmelhack (ex-Zipline). Raised $6.5M seed in 2024, then $20M Series A from Lux Capital and Sequoia in 2025. Filed FCC application in August 2025 with an April 2026 target launch date. Secured $1.25M US Air Force SBIR contract in June 2025. SpaceX Falcon 9 confirmed as launch provider.
FOUNDED 2021$35M TOTAL FUNDINGUSAF CONTRACT
MID-2026 · USA · NEXT
EARENDIL-1 — Demo Launch Target
18×18m mylar mirror targeting SSO at 625km. If deployed, the first operational orbital mirror since Znamya 2 — and the first commercial one. FCC approval pending. Each pass delivers under 4 minutes of supplemental illumination over a 5km footprint at brightness exceeding Venus.
SSO 625KMFCC PENDINGNEXT LAUNCH
2027–2030 · PLANNED
Full Constellation — 4,000 Mirrors
Reflect Orbital's long-term goal: 4,000 mirrors in coordinated sun-synchronous orbits delivering 20% of midday sun intensity on demand. Physics are severe — even this constellation serves a limited number of locations simultaneously, and each mirror must achieve milliradian-precision steering at 7.6km/s.
4,000 SATELLITES20% MIDDAY SUNASPIRATIONAL
LIVE NEWS DIGEST
Orbital Mirror Coverage — All Sources
ASTROBITES
FEB 2026
FCC Under Pressure: Reflect Orbital and AI Satellite Proposals Trigger Astronomy Community Alert
FCC public comment period closed March 2026. DarkSky International published a step-by-step guide for submitting objections — open to non-US citizens. Astrobites analysis notes EARENDIL-1 could appear as bright as a full Moon within the beam footprint.
CRITICAL · FEB 2026SPACE.COM
OCT 2025
4,000 Giant Space Mirrors Plan Has Scientists Alarmed
Reflect Orbital's FCC application describes EARENDIL-1: an 18×18m mirror in sun-synchronous orbit. Each illumination footprint spans 5km and lasts under 4 minutes. Astronomers warn of "catastrophic" consequences for observation.
CRITICALSCI. AMERICAN
NOV 2025
Alarm Grows Over Proposed Giant Mirrors in Orbit
Backed by Sequoia and Baiju Bhatt, Reflect Orbital sells "unforgettable sunlit evenings" to entertainment venues alongside solar energy contracts. The IAU and dark-sky advocacy groups have filed formal objections with the FCC.
SKEPTICALLIVE SCIENCE
OCT 2025
"Catastrophic and Horrifying" — Astronomers Warn on Space Mirror Plans
Runaway tumbling risk cited — NASA's solar sail spun uncontrollably in 2024. The Znamya 2 precedent (1993 success, 1999 failure) shows how quickly deployment can fail. A single uncontrolled mirror could flash brighter than the Moon over vast areas.
STRONGLY CRITICALSMITHSONIAN
DEC 2025
Giant Mirrors Could Bring Sunlight After Dark — Astronomers Concerned
Balanced coverage of the concept's claimed benefits — solar augmentation, SAD treatment, search and rescue, military illumination — alongside substantive expert concerns about light pollution and ecosystem disruption.
BALANCEDCONCEPT EXPLAINER
The Physics, the Promise, and the Controversy
1993FIRST MIRROR LAUNCHED
3PROGRAMMES TRACKED
0CURRENTLY IN ORBIT
4,000REFLECT ORBITAL GOAL
WHY THE PHYSICS ARE HARD
An 18×18m mirror is only the size of a volleyball court. From 625km altitude, achieving meaningful illumination over a 5km target requires milliradian-precision beam steering while the satellite travels at 7.6km/s. Any single pass lasts under 4 minutes.
Delivering one continuous hour of supplemental light requires approximately 15 coordinated satellites. Znamya 2 proved the concept in 1993. Znamya 2.5 showed how quickly a mirror deployment can fail. The Chengdu proposal demonstrated the public appetite — and the backlash — this technology generates regardless of which operator pursues it.
CONTROVERSY INTENSITY — ORBITAL MIRRORS (CATEGORY-WIDE)
ASTRONOMER OPPOSITION97%
INVESTOR CONFIDENCE (REFLECT ORBITAL)78%
PUBLIC ENTHUSIASM71%
TECHNICAL VIABILITY (DEMO SCALE)65%
FULL CONSTELLATION VIABILITY22%
REGULATORY APPROVAL CERTAINTY45%
NEXT LAUNCH WINDOW
When Will the Next Mirror Launch?
EARENDIL-1
REFLECT ORBITAL · SUN-SYNCHRONOUS ORBIT · 625KM
The first commercial orbital mirror and the first mirror since Znamya 2.5 in 1999. An 18×18m mylar mirror targeting solar farm energy augmentation. FCC filing cited early April 2026; Wikipedia (updated Apr 2026) states mid-2026. SpaceX Falcon 9 confirmed as launch provider. FCC approval remains the primary gate.
LAUNCH CONFIDENCEMODERATE ~45%
TARGET WINDOW
MID
2026
FCC FILED: AUG 2025
LAUNCH VEHICLE: SPACEX FALCON 9
UPDATED: APR 2026
LAUNCH VEHICLE: SPACEX FALCON 9
UPDATED: APR 2026
NO OTHER OPERATORS have announced firm launch timelines as of April 2026. The Chengdu proposal remains shelved with no known revival. This page updates when new filings are made by any operator.
OBSERVER GUIDE
What Does a Mirror Pass Actually Look Like?
EARENDIL-1 · GROUND OBSERVER EXPERIENCEBASED ON FCC FILING + REFLECT ORBITAL STATEMENTS
You'd first notice it as a fast-moving star appearing low on the horizon — similar to watching the ISS pass, but brighter. It climbs quickly across the sky over roughly 3–4 minutes, reaching peak brightness near its highest point above you.
At zenith, EARENDIL-1 is expected to appear comparable to Venus at its brightest — obvious to the naked eye, visible in twilight, and bright enough to be unmistakable. It moves visibly across the sky rather than hovering like a planet.
If you're standing within the 5km illuminated footprint on the ground, the experience is different: a soft, directional glow — described by Reflect Orbital as "moonlike" — brightens the scene around you for the duration of the pass. Independent researchers describe the in-beam brightness as comparable to a full moon at 0.1 lux.
PASS PARAMETERS · EARENDIL-1
~3.5
MINUTES PER PASS
5km
BEAM FOOTPRINT
7.6km/s
GROUND TRACK SPEED
0.1 lux
IN-BEAM BRIGHTNESS
OUTSIDE THE BEAM: visible as a bright star (Venus-equivalent) moving across the sky
INSIDE THE BEAM: soft full-moon-equivalent glow, ~0.1 lux, for the pass duration
AFTER THE PASS: mirror tilts away from Earth — satellite dims or disappears
INSIDE THE BEAM: soft full-moon-equivalent glow, ~0.1 lux, for the pass duration
AFTER THE PASS: mirror tilts away from Earth — satellite dims or disappears
Pass predictions for your exact location → OrbitalNodes.ai · Solar mirror mode launching with EARENDIL-1 · More detail → /how-bright
PASS TRACKING
Track Mirror Passes in Real Time
Live Orbital Mirror Tracking via OrbitalNodes.AI
Once any orbital mirror launches, OrbitalNodes will be the first place to see predicted pass times, illumination windows, and beam targets — all operators, live in your browser.
MIRROR PASSES
Pass predictions with illumination angle — all operators
PASS CARDS
Shareable cards showing your local pass window and beam target
ALERTS
Get notified 30 minutes before a mirror pass over your location
VALUE ESTIMATOR
How Much Orbital Sunlight Is Actually Worth
SOLAR FARM PARAMETERSINTERACTIVE
◈ DAILY ECONOMICS — ORBITAL MIRROR SCENARIO
USABLE SUNLIGHT PER PASS3.5 min
TOTAL MIRROR-MINUTES / DAY14 min
EFFECTIVE GENERATION ADDED— kWh
ENERGY REVENUE / DAY—
SERVICE COST / DAY—
NET DAILY P&L—
Adjust the sliders to model your solar farm scenario.
LOCAL PASS PAGES
Pass Predictions by City
Local pass prediction pages launch once any orbital mirror achieves orbit. Pages are pre-built for major cities and ready to populate with live data.
ADELAIDE
AUS · 34.9°S
COMING SOONNEW YORK
USA · 40.7°N
COMING SOONLONDON
UK · 51.5°N
COMING SOONSYDNEY
AUS · 33.9°S
COMING SOONTOKYO
JPN · 35.7°N
COMING SOONLOS ANGELES
USA · 34.1°N
COMING SOONDUBAI
UAE · 25.2°N
COMING SOONBERLIN
DEU · 52.5°N
COMING SOON