The FCC granted approval on 9 July 2026 for Reflect Orbital to launch Earendil-1, a low-Earth orbit satellite using an 18-meter steerable mirror to reflect sunlight onto a 5km ground patch, marking the first regulatory clearance for such a space mirror test. Operators must address the beam’s potential to flash-blind drivers and disrupt nighttime aviation visibility, risks explicitly flagged by critics alongside astronomy impacts. The commission limited authorization to radio spectrum compliance only, evaluating no environmental or health effects, while the startup targets later-2026 launch for this single demonstration unit preceding a proposed 50,000-satellite constellation aimed at powering solar farms and illuminating disaster zones.