A Mirror's Reflection: The Dark Side of US Space Policy The Federal Communications Commission's recent approval for Reflect Orbital to launch a mirror satellite capable of reflecting sunlight onto specific locations on Earth at night has sparked intense debate among astronomers and environmental advocates.
Beneath its touted promise of providing "on demand" sunlight, this project raises more questions than it answers about the future of space policy in the United States.
The Eärendil 1 satellite's 18 meter reflector can illuminate areas up to 5 kilometers in diameter for brief periods, a notion that is both ambitious and unsettling.