What is a space mirror?

A space mirror (orbital mirror) is a large reflective surface deployed in orbit to redirect sunlight toward a specific ground location. Modern designs use thin aluminised Mylar film — extremely lightweight, foldable for launch, unfurling to a large reflective sheet in orbit. The mirror is steerable, delivering enhanced ambient light rather than focused heat.

Is there a space mirror in orbit right now?

No. There is currently no space mirror in Earth orbit. The last was Russia's Znamya-2.5 which failed during deployment in February 1999. EARENDIL-1 from US startup Reflect Orbital is the next planned orbital mirror, targeting a launch later in 2026 on a SpaceX Falcon 9.

When will EARENDIL-1 launch?

Reflect Orbital is targeting later in 2026 for EARENDIL-1. The satellite is an 18×18m Mylar reflective sail planned for 88° near-polar orbit at 625km altitude. OrbitalSolar.ai will display live pass predictions the moment orbital elements are published after launch.

How bright will a space mirror appear from the ground?

EARENDIL-1 at peak overhead brightness is designed to reach approximately magnitude −4 to −5 — comparable to Venus at its brightest. This is clearly visible to the naked eye from anywhere, including light-polluted cities. Between commercial passes, Reflect Orbital tilts the mirror away from Earth, significantly dimming it.

Why do astronomers oppose space mirrors?

Professional astronomers are nearly unanimous in opposing orbital mirror constellations. Their concerns: light pollution degrading observatory sky quality, disruption of ecosystems and circadian rhythms from artificial night illumination, no international governance framework, and the irreversible precedent set by commercial exploitation of the shared night sky.

What was the Soviet Znamya programme?

Russia launched two orbital mirrors from the Mir space station. Znamya-2 (February 1993) successfully reflected a 5km beam of sunlight across nighttime Europe — the only fully successful orbital mirror in history. Znamya-2.5 (February 1999) snagged on an antenna during deployment and failed. The programme ended when Mir was deorbited in 2001.

Has China launched a space mirror?

No. In 2018, Chengdu city officials announced an 'artificial moon' satellite claiming 8× Moon brightness for street lighting replacement. The proposal generated massive media coverage but no hardware was ever built, no launch contract signed, and no budget published. Chinese state media stopped covering the project by 2020. It is considered shelved.

How does the 5km beam footprint work?

EARENDIL-1's 18×18m mirror from 625km altitude produces a diffuse illuminated area of approximately 5km diameter on the ground — roughly 20% of midday solar irradiance. This is not a focused laser or concentrator; it produces enhanced ambient light similar to a bright overcast sky. The footprint moves at orbital velocity — 7.6km/s — but lingers over a target for the 3.5-minute pass duration.

PRE-LAUNCH · NO MIRROR IN ORBIT FCC RADIO LICENCE GRANTED 9 JUL 2026 LAUNCH TARGET LATER 2026 · FALCON 9

◈ INDEPENDENT MISSION DOSSIER

EÄRENDIL-1 The first commercial space mirror

On 9 July 2026 the FCC granted a radio licence for the first commercial space mirror — while declining jurisdiction over the reflector itself. Eärendil-1 is an 18×18 m mylar reflector weighing 16 kg, folded like origami and launching on a Falcon 9 later this year to cast sunlight onto a patch of ground roughly 5 km across, after dark.

◈ WILL IT PASS OVER YOUR CITY? LIVE 3D TRACKER → WHAT YOU’LL SEE →

SUNLIGHT → EÄRENDIL-1SUNLIT · MIRROR TILT 31.8° 625 km TERMINATOR DAY NIGHT FOOTPRINT

CROSS-SECTION TO SCALE — 625 km orbit against a 6,371 km Earth. The reflector is tilted to bisect incoming sunlight and the beam angled down to the dark side. Beam drawn at its true 0.53° divergence: the spot cannot be tighter than ~5.8 km at nadir, because the Sun is a disc, not a point.

EARENDIL-1 is the first commercial space mirror satellite, developed by Reflect Orbital and targeting a launch later in 2026 to Low Earth Orbit. FCC licence approved 9 July 2026. No specific launch date has been announced. This status will update when Reflect Orbital confirms a date or the FCC rules on the application.

MISSION STATUS

Where Eärendil-1 actually stands

✓ FCC APPROVED Radio licence granted 9 July 2026 — the FCC declined jurisdiction over the mirror itself. What was actually approved →

LATER 2026

Launch Window

Falcon 9 secured

65%

Launch Confidence

~1,800 comments filed; AAS petition denied

Mirrors in Orbit

None has ever flown commercially

Why no countdown? The FCC approved the licence on 9 July 2026 — that gate is now cleared. Reflect Orbital has publicly targeted later in 2026 but hasn’t yet announced a specific launch date. We’d rather show you real status than a countdown to an invented date. The countdown activates the moment a real launch date is confirmed. Read the full launch-date analysis →

TOTAL RAISED

$35.2M

Seed (Sequoia) + $20M Series A (Lux, May 2025) + AFWERX SBIR. No round since; other trackers count $26–29M.

SERVICE REQUESTS

260K+

Company figure from the 2024 sign-up window, 157 countries — not updated since. Construction, events, defence, disaster relief.

MIRROR SPEC

18×18m

324 m² aluminised Mylar, origami-folded. 16 kg reflector on a 142 kg satellite.

SCIENTIFIC OPPOSITION

Societies in one joint FCC filing (ecology, entomology, geophysics, meteorology, physics). The IAU, RAS, AAVSO, CASCA, DarkSky and the Air Line Pilots Association filed separately. AAS lodged the only formal petition to deny — the FCC denied it.

LIVE Track Current Sky Position → DEBATE Why Astronomers Oppose It → PROFILE Meet the 29-Year-Old Founder →

EARENDIL-1 · LATER IN 2026 TARGET HISTORY SINCE 1993 ASTRONOMERS: “CATASTROPHIC” INDEPENDENT · NOT AFFILIATED

HOW IT WORKS

The Orbital Mirror Concept — End to End

3.5 min

PER PASS

5km

BEAM FOOTPRINT

mag −4

PEAK BRIGHTNESS

625km

ORBIT ALTITUDE

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	Mag 3–5 sky · around full moon in beam	Urban illumination demo	HISTORICAL
Znamya 2.5	RSC Energia · Russia	1999	25m dia.	LEO 400km	Target: 5–10× full moon in beam	Urban illumination (failed)	FAILED
EARENDIL-1	Reflect Orbital · USA	2026 target	18×18m	88° polar 625km	Venus-bright overhead · Moon-bright in beam	Solar farm augmentation, demo	PENDING LAUNCH
Chengdu Space Mirror	CASC · China	2018 proposal	1km² constellation	LEO 500km	8× Moon (claimed)	Street lighting replacement	SHELVED
Phase 2 Constellation	Reflect Orbital · USA	2027–28 plan	18×18m ×dozens	SSO 625km	Multi-mirror stacking	Coordinated solar augmentation	PLANNED
Full Constellation	Reflect Orbital · USA	2030 → long-term	18×18m ×5,000 → 50,000	SSO 625km	20% midday sun	On-demand solar power delivery	ASPIRATIONAL

BRIGHTNESS NOTES: Mirrors produce two distinct brightness measurements. The first is how bright the satellite itself appears as a point of light in the sky to any observer within viewing range (stated as astronomical magnitude). The second is how bright the 5km ground footprint becomes for observers inside the beam (stated relative to the full moon). Znamya-2's satellite appeared faint (mag 3–5) as it streaked past, while the ground footprint within the beam reached approximately full-moon brightness.

UPDATED APR 2026 · SOURCE: PUBLIC FCC FILINGS, PUBLISHED RESEARCH, PRESS RECORDS

OBSERVER GUIDE

What a Mirror Pass Looks 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 "moon-like" — 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, around 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

CONCEPT EXPLAINER

The Physics, the Promise, and the Controversy

1993FIRST MIRROR LAUNCHED

3PROGRAMMES TRACKED

0CURRENTLY IN ORBIT

4K→50KREFLECT ORBITAL (2030 → LONG-TERM)

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.

→ FULL CONTROVERSY ANALYSIS

STAKEHOLDER POSITIONS — ORBITAL MIRRORS

Qualitative positions as of April 2026, sourced from public filings, press statements, and funding rounds. We don’t invent percentages.

ASTRONOMER COMMUNITYOPPOSED

American Astronomical Society filed a formal petition to deny the FCC application (6 March 2026). 1,800+ FCC docket comments filed. DarkSky International classified EARENDIL-1 as Risk Group 3 (High Risk).

INVESTOR BACKINGCOMMITTED

$35.2M raised across Seed (Sequoia Capital, Sep 2024) and Series A (Lux Capital, May 2025). Plus US Air Force SBIR Phase II contract of $1.25M (Jun 2025). Demo mission fully funded per FCC filing.

PUBLIC DEMAND SIGNALSTRONG

260,000+ service enquiries across 157 countries by end of 2025, per Reflect Orbital. No independent survey of general public opinion exists.

DEMO-SCALE TECH VIABILITYPLAUSIBLE

March 2024 balloon demo at 3km successfully redirected sunlight to ground solar panels during twilight. Scaling to 625km orbit with milliradian beam steering remains unproven in flight.

FULL 50K CONSTELLATIONSPECULATIVE

No operator has deployed a constellation at this scale. Astronomers calculate 3,000+ mirrors needed to replicate 20% of midday sunlight at a single site. Economics and manufacturing cadence both unvalidated.

REGULATORY STATUSAPPROVED

FCC application SAT-LOA-20250701-00129 filed 1 August 2025. Public comment period closed 9 March 2026. Granted 9 July 2026 — the FCC called it “potentially groundbreaking technology” in the public interest and dismissed the constellation-based objections as this licence covers a single test satellite.

NEXT LAUNCH WINDOW

When Will the Next Mirror Launch?

EARENDIL-1

REFLECT ORBITAL · 88° NEAR-POLAR 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 Jul 2026) states mid-2026. SpaceX Falcon 9 confirmed as launch provider. The FCC granted approval on 9 July 2026; a confirmed launch date is now the only remaining gate.

LAUNCH CONFIDENCEMODERATE 65%

TARGET WINDOW

LATER

2026

FCC FILED: AUG 2025
LAUNCH VEHICLE: SPACEX FALCON 9
UPDATED: JUL 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.

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.

◈ GO TO ORBITALNODES.AI Solar Mirrors Toggle COMING SOON

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

LIVE NEWS DIGEST

Orbital Mirror Coverage — All Sources

VIA SATELLITE

FCC Approves Reflect Orbital Demo Satellite to Test Redirecting Sunlight

The FCC granted approval for EARENDIL-1 on 9 July 2026 (docket SAT-LOA-20250701-00129), calling it “potentially groundbreaking technology” in the public interest. Nearly 2,000 comments were filed; the FCC dismissed constellation-based objections as the licence covers a single test satellite. Launch expected later in 2026.

MILESTONE · JUL 2026

JUL 2026

ASTROBITES

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 2026

FEB 2026

SPACE.COM

4,000 Giant Space Mirrors Plan Has Scientists Alarmed

Reflect Orbital's FCC application describes EARENDIL-1: an 18×18m mirror in an 88° near-polar orbit. Each illumination footprint spans 5km and lasts under 4 minutes. Astronomers warn of "catastrophic" consequences for observation.

CRITICAL

OCT 2025

SCI. AMERICAN

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.

SKEPTICAL

NOV 2025

LIVE SCIENCE

"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 CRITICAL

OCT 2025

SMITHSONIAN

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.

BALANCED

DEC 2025

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 September 2024 (led by Sequoia), then $20M Series A in May 2025 (led by Lux Capital with Sequoia participating), plus $1.25M US Air Force SBIR Phase II contract in June 2025 — total funding $35.2M as of 2026. Filed FCC application in August 2025. Two proof-of-concept missions planned for 2026. SpaceX Falcon 9 confirmed as launch provider.

FOUNDED 2021$35M TOTAL FUNDINGUSAF CONTRACT

LATER IN 2026 · USA · NEXT

EARENDIL-1 — Demo Launch Target

18×18m mylar mirror targeting an 88° near-polar orbit at 625km. If deployed, the first operational orbital mirror since Znamya 2 — and the first commercial one. FCC approved 9 July 2026. Each pass delivers under 4 minutes of supplemental illumination over a 5km footprint at brightness exceeding Venus.

88° POLAR 625KMFCC APPROVEDNEXT LAUNCH

2027–2030 · PLANNED

Phase 2 Constellation — 5,000+ Mirrors by 2030

Reflect Orbital's published 2030 target: 5,000+ mirrors in coordinated sun-synchronous orbits delivering 20% of midday sun intensity on demand. The long-term commercial vision scales toward 50,000 satellites. Physics are severe — even at 5,000 mirrors the constellation serves only a limited number of locations simultaneously, and each mirror must achieve milliradian-precision steering at 7.6km/s.

5,000+ BY 203050,000 LONG-TERM20% MIDDAY SUN

→ FULL HISTORY PAGE WITH PRIMARY SOURCES

LOCAL PASS PAGES