Reflect Orbital raises $73.5M to beam sunlight from orbit
What's the deal? Reflect OrbitalDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, a Hawthorne, California startup, has raised $73.5 million to build satellites that reflect sunlight to specific points on the ground. The round more than triples the roughly $35 million it had raised previously, including a $20 million Series A led by Lux Capital in May 2025.
What's the endgame? Founded in 2021 by former SpaceX engineer Ben Nowack, the company is developing a constellation of small satellites fitted with lightweight mylar mirrors. The goal: redirect sunlight onto solar farms during twilight hours to extend their productive output, with possible uses in search-and-rescue and emergency response.
Why now? The raise follows two concrete steps. In October 2026, Reflect Orbital booked two launches with India's Skyroot Aerospace, and it holds Federal Communications Commission approval for a single demonstration satellite.
What could go wrong? The company has not yet proven the concept in orbit — neither the test nor a commercial service has been demonstrated. Its plans have also drawn controversy: environmental groups have asked the Federal Communications Commission to reverse its approval, citing possible disruption to astronomy, wildlife, and public safety.
The signal: The jump in funding reflects investor appetite for ambitious space infrastructure. But Reflect Orbital's commercial prospects still hinge on technical validation and unresolved regulatory and public-acceptance questions.
Read more: spacenews.com
Image credit: Reflect Orbital
