Reflect Orbital runs ground test of space-mirror lighting near Mount Whitney

Residents near Lone Pine, California, saw intense beams over the desert near Mount Whitney, later confirmed as a ground experiment by Reflect Orbital simulating its planned space-mirror lighting. The October 10 test ran from about 7 p.m. to midnight with search-and-rescue teams.

• Test ran October 10 from ~7 p.m. to midnight on Horseshoe Meadows Road
• Light was brighter than a full moon, with visibility of about 3 miles
• FCC approved the Eärendil-1 satellite with an 18-meter reflector
• Company secured two slots on an Indian rocket for future spacecraft