Russian company plans 65-foot space mirror launch in two years

A Russian space company plans to launch a satellite within two years that will unfurl a 65-foot mirror to reflect sunlight onto Earth, potentially disrupting astronomy and posing eye-safety risks. The project, led by StartRocket, aims to test “orbital billboards” that could beam sunlight to specific locations, providing solar power after dark and lighting remote areas.

The idea isn’t new. Russian scientists first tried it in 1993 with the Znamya project, which deployed a 20-meter reflector that briefly lit up parts of Europe with a bright beam. More recently, U.S.-based firm Rocket Lab floated plans for sun-reflecting satellites, and China tested small mirrors in 2022. StartRocket’s latest effort is part of a surge in commercial space ventures seeking to monetize sunlight from orbit, including solar power satellites that beam energy to Earth.

The company says it will start with a small test flight in 2025, then scale up to a 65-foot mirror within two years. But astronomers warn even small reflectors can scatter light across telescopes, washing out faint cosmic signals. Light pollution from satellites already complicates ground-based astronomy, and bright beams could blind pilots or drivers. StartRocket argues it can control beam angles and intensity, but critics say no safeguards are proven at scale.

If successful, the technology could supply nighttime solar power and illuminate disaster zones, but it risks turning the night sky into a patchwork of artificial light. Regulators are scrambling to set rules, but space governance lags behind commercial launches. The next two years will show whether orbiting mirrors become a utility—or a nuisance that reshapes how we see the sky.