# Reflect Orbital **Source:** https://geo.sig.ai/brands/reflect-orbital **Vertical:** aerospace **Subcategory:** space solar energy **Tier:** Emerging **Website:** reflectorbital.com **Last Updated:** 2026-04-14 ## Summary Space startup deploying orbital mirrors to extend solar farm output after sunset. $20M Series A; seeking FCC approval for Earendil-1 test satellite in 2026. ## Company Overview Reflect Orbital is a space energy startup with an audacious mission: deploy networks of orbital mirrors to reflect sunlight onto solar farms after sunset, effectively extending renewable energy generation hours without battery storage. Founded to solve the intermittency problem plaguing solar power, the company is developing small satellite constellations that track ground-based solar installations and redirect sunlight as the Earth rotates away from the sun.\n\nThe company's flagship program, the Earendil-1 test satellite, is awaiting FCC approval for a planned 2026 demonstration mission. If approved, Earendil-1 will validate the core optical redirection and satellite-to-ground alignment technology at scale. The platform targets utility-scale solar operators and grid operators looking to reduce curtailment and storage costs through a space-based complement to ground infrastructure.\n\nReflect Orbital raised a $20M Series A to fund its satellite development and regulatory strategy. The FCC approval process for Earendil-1 represents the company's critical near-term milestone; a successful 2026 demo would de-risk the technology and position Reflect Orbital as a pioneering player in the emerging orbital energy infrastructure market, which sits at the intersection of NewSpace economics and the global clean energy transition. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How does Reflect Orbital work? Reflect Orbital deploys lightweight mylar mirrors in low-Earth orbit that redirect sunlight to solar farms after sunset, enabling extended solar energy generation during twilight and nighttime. ### What is Earendil-1? Earendil-1 is Reflect Orbital's proposed 18-metre test satellite planned for 2026, orbiting at 625 km to validate the concept of orbital solar reflection. ### What are the concerns about Reflect Orbital? DarkSky International and astronomers have raised objections about threats to the night sky, light pollution, ecosystem disruption, and interference with astronomical observation. ### Who founded Reflect Orbital and when? Reflect Orbital was founded in 2023 by Ben Nowack, a physicist and entrepreneur who previously worked on space and energy technology. The company is based in the San Francisco Bay Area and has attracted venture backing for its novel approach to solving solar intermittency without battery storage. ### How would Reflect Orbital's mirrors affect night-time astronomy? Orbital mirrors that reflect sunlight at night create artificial light sources visible from Earth's surface, potentially interfering with ground-based telescope observations and disrupting the natural dark sky. Reflect Orbital has engaged with astronomy organizations but has not yet demonstrated a mitigation solution sufficient to address scientific community concerns. ### What is the economic case for Reflect Orbital? Solar farms are expensive assets that sit idle for 12+ hours daily. By extending generation into twilight and early night hours — when electricity demand is still high — Reflect Orbital's orbital mirrors could improve solar farm ROI without requiring additional grid-scale battery storage, which remains expensive. Even a 2-hour extension of effective generation could significantly improve solar project economics. ### What technical challenges does Reflect Orbital face? Key challenges include building mirrors lightweight enough for cost-effective launch, developing precise orbital mechanics to track specific ground locations, managing mirror orientation and thermal control in orbit, ensuring sufficient reflectivity from low-Earth orbit distances, and obtaining regulatory approval amid opposition from astronomy groups and environmental advocates. ### Has Reflect Orbital raised funding? Reflect Orbital has raised seed funding to develop its concept and plan the Earendil-1 demonstration satellite. The company is in early stages and the Earendil-1 test, planned for 2026, represents its first attempt to validate the orbital solar reflection concept before pursuing larger constellation deployment. ## Tags hardware, manufacturing, b2b --- *Data from geo.sig.ai Brand Intelligence Database. Updated 2026-04-14.*