Eärendil-1 Mission: Reflecting Sunlight from Space

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The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has granted a limited two-year operating license to space-tech startup Reflect Orbital for its upcoming Eärendil-1 mission.

The satellite gets its name Eärendil-1 from a character in J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy story The Silmarillion, and it works as an adjustable space mirror to test if reflecting sunlight from orbit is technically and commercially possible.
A California-based commercial aerospace startup named Reflect Orbital developed and operates this demonstration satellite.
The satellite aims to redirect sunlight to targeted ground locations after sunset to increase solar power output and provide emergency light during disaster relief operations.

The satellite carries an ultra-lightweight mirror-like reflector that stays folded during launch and unfurls automatically once in space.
Operators can remotely rotate the reflector using a motorized gimbal system to direct sunlight precisely toward chosen dark areas on Earth.
It will fly in Low Earth Orbit at an altitude of about 625 km, keeping it close enough to effectively project light onto the ground.
The satellite travels at a high orbital inclination of 88°, which gives it near-polar coverage to reach solar plants across most of the world.

Directing extra sunlight to solar farms after dark can extend power generation hours, lower energy storage costs, and boost farm earnings.
However, scientists warn that many space mirrors could make night skies unnaturally bright, disrupt telescope observations, and harm nocturnal ecosystems.