Orbiting sky mirrors could light nights but raise astronomy and wildlife concerns

Earth.com reports on Reflect Orbital’s plan to launch about 4,000 large sky mirrors into orbit to reflect sunlight onto Earth after sunset, using a sun‑synchronous path to illuminate select areas. The first satellite, Earendil-1, could launch in early 2026 for a demonstration visible from approved sites. While proponents say it could boost lighting and solar energy use, experts warn it could dramatically increase sky brightness, contaminate telescope data, create space debris risks, disturb wildlife and human sleep, and require international regulatory coordination. The piece calls for clear limits, public review, and shared tracking before any large deployment.