A tech startup in California is taking a bold step to change how we use solar power. Instead of relying solely on daylight, they want to light up the night by placing a giant mirror in space.
The idea comes from Reflect Orbital. They’re building a satellite with a mirror made from a tough, super-thin material called Mylar. Once in orbit, it’ll catch sunlight and beam it down to Earth, targeting specific spots that need it most.
Lighting Up the Night
The mirror will orbit along the day-night boundary of Earth, allowing it to reflect light after sunset. Initially, it will provide a few minutes of daylight over a 5-kilometre radius. But when several satellites are focused on the same point, they could extend this period to nearly an hour.
Reflect Orbital plans to launch thousands of these satellites. They aim to support solar farms by supplying light during evening peak hours and to offer illumination for events, construction sites, and isolated communities.
A Constellation of Mirrors
In the long run, the company envisions launching 57 reflectors into low orbit, approximately 600 kilometres above Earth, to create an artificial constellation.
Reflect Orbital’s system is guided by AI, allowing real-time adjustments to the mirrors’ angles as Earth rotates. This enables the delivery of precision lighting where and when it’s needed. The team is also exploring uses in search and rescue missions and even for Arctic villages during their long, dark winters.
From DIY to Global Ambition
Founded in 2021, Reflect Orbital operates from Hawthorne, California. Much of its equipment is built in-house on a tight budget, including a 13-metre-long oven to shape carbon-fibre satellite parts.
The company’s first satellite, weighing 100kg and about the size of a microwave, is expected to launch in spring 2026.
The project has raised $6.5 million in funding, with backing from top Silicon Valley investors like Sequoia Capital. Reflect Orbital has even discussed the idea with Dubai’s crown prince.
Despite its promise, the project has sparked concerns about light pollution and its impact on wildlife. But the team says their system can quickly redirect or shut off the beam. “Give us four minutes,” Semmelhack says. “If everyone hates it, we can turn it off.”
Kerry’s been writing professionally for over 14 years, after graduating with a First Class Honours Degree in Multimedia Journalism from Canterbury Christ Church University. She joined Orbital Today in 2022. She covers everything from UK launch updates to how the wider space ecosystem is evolving. She enjoys digging into the detail and explaining complex topics in a way that feels straightforward. Before writing about space, Kerry spent years working with cybersecurity companies. She’s written a lot about threat intelligence, data protection, and how cyber and space are increasingly overlapping, whether that's satellite security or national defence. With a strong background in tech writing, she’s used to making tricky, technical subjects more approachable. That mix of innovation, complexity, and real-world impact is what keeps her interested in the space sector.