Mirrors in the Sky: Reflect Orbital’s Bold Bet on Endless Solar Power

Have you ever tried getting tan in sunlight but you never could because you don’t have time to spend on a beach? Or maybe trying to have a party but you have little free time at night, when there is no sunlight? In that case, allow me to introduce you to Reflect Orbital, a daring California startup that’s reaching for the stars to beam sunlight back to Earth after dark. With a constellation of orbiting mirrors, a visionary ex-SpaceX intern at the helm, and $6.5 million in fresh funding from heavyweights like Sequoia Capital, this company isn’t just chasing the sun—it’s rewriting the rules of renewable energy. Buckle up for a story that’s equal parts sci-fi ambition and real-world grit. Dawn of Reflect Orbital The idea for Reflect Orbital sparked from Ben Nowack’s time at Zipline. Ben Nowack is a former SpaceX intern who worked on propulsion components for the Crew Dragon spacecraft as a college freshman. Nowack’s background is marked by hands-on engineering experience and ambitious personal projects—he has built turbo jet engines, climbed Mont Blanc and Denali, and lived in a Mazda Miata while pursuing an engineering degree. After Space X, he worked as a Senior Engineer at park and Diamond, Director of Engineering at Tri-D Dynamics, and a  Mechanical Engineer at Zipline, a drone delivery company. His entrepreneurial drive led him to co-found Reflect Orbital with Tristan Semmelhack, the company’s CTO.

During his time at Zipline, he met co-founder Tristen Semmelhack, who was interning there as the youngest engineer. The two bonded over late-night discussions about ambitious, unconventional ideas. Nowack became increasingly focused on solar energy’s potential, identifying its primary limitation: the lack of sunlight at night. He theorized that instead of relying solely on improving solar cell efficiency, building transmission lines, or storing energy in batteries, the solution could lie in simply providing more sunlight during off-hours. This concept crystallized during a “4 AM spreadsheet binge” in October 2021, prompting Nowack to leave Zipline and start Reflect Orbital. Semmelhack, then a Stanford student, took a leave of absence after his first year to join as CTO in 2022. The concept isn’t entirely novel—Russia’s Znamya project in the 1990s tested similar space-based reflectors, though it faced technical and cost barriers. Reflect Orbital builds on this precedent, leveraging modern advancements in lightweight materials (like mylar), satellite miniaturization, and cheaper launch costs to make the idea economically viable. Nowack’s exposure to SpaceX’s innovative culture and Semmelhack’s drone design expertise at Zipline likely shaped their approach to creating scalable, deployable space structures. Company Overview Reflect orbital is a California-based company developing a constellation of satellites equipped with large, reflective mirrors to redirect sunlight to Earth during nighttime hours. The primary goal is to extend solar energy generation for solar farms by reflecting sunlight onto solar panels after sunset, thereby addressing the intermittency issue of solar power—its unavailability at night when energy demand can peak. The company also envisions broader applications, such as providing lighting for industrial or urban use. Founded in 2022, Reflect Orbital is headquartered in Los Angeles, though some sources mention operational bases in Alameda, California, and a new warehouse in Hawthorne near SpaceX’s headquarters. The company has raised $6.5 million in funding across two rounds, with its latest seed round announced on September 24, 2024, led by Sequoia Capital—marking Sequoia’s first space investment since SpaceX. Other investors include Starship Ventures, Winklevoss Capital, and notable individuals like Baiju Bhatt, Keller Rinaudo Cliffton, and Keenan Wyrobek. This funding is intended to support its first orbital mission, slated for launch between June and October 2025, aiming to demonstrate the reflection of sunlight onto Earth by year-end. Ups and Downs Reflect Orbital’s technology promises a bold leap forward for solar energy by beaming sunlight to Earth after dark, offering several compelling advantages. It could extend solar farm operations into peak evening hours, generating up to 500 watts per square meter—about half the sun’s brightness—without the need for costly battery storage, as demonstrated in their balloon prototype. This approach leverages existing solar panels, potentially making it a cost-effective alternative to traditional energy storage solutions, while also opening up versatile applications like lighting cities, construction sites, or remote regions. Backed by modern space innovations—lightweight mylar mirrors and affordable launches from companies like SpaceX—Reflect Orbital taps into a new era of accessibility, aiming to boost renewable energy’s reach and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. With $6.5 million in funding and a vision likened to “sunlight-as-a-service,” the startup’s ambitions could reshape how we harness the sun’s power. However, this futuristic vision comes with significant challenges that could dim its prospects. Technical hurdles like atmospheric scattering, cloud interference, and the precision required to aim mirrors from 600 kilometers up remain daunting, even with NASA JPL expertise on board, casting doubt on scalability. The technology risks unintended consequences, too—light pollution could disrupt ecosystems and stargazing, while failed satellites might add to orbital debris, echoing the fate of Russia’s Znamya project. High initial costs for launching and maintaining a constellation rivaling Starlink’s scale could strain finances, and without clear pricing or proven efficiency, it’s uncertain whether Reflect Orbital can compete with batteries or expanded ground-based solar. While the idea dazzles, its economic and ecological viability hangs in the balance, awaiting real-world proof in the planned 2025 orbital test. Reflect Orbital stands at the intersection of audacious innovation and uncharted risk, poised to redefine solar energy with its orbiting mirrors set to launch in late 2025. Led by ex-SpaceX intern Ben Nowack and fueled by $6.5 million from Sequoia Capital and other heavyweights, the startup’s vision—born from a late-night epiphany in 2021—promises to extend sunlight for solar farms and beyond, potentially revolutionizing renewable energy with a “sunlight-as-a-service” model. Yet, its path is fraught with technical hurdles like atmospheric interference, ecological concerns over light pollution, and the steep costs of scaling a satellite constellation, leaving its economic viability an open question. As Reflect Orbital gears up to beam sunlight from space, it embodies both the brilliance of human ingenuity and the gamble of pushing boundaries—whether it illuminates the future or flickers out will hinge on overcoming these challenges and proving its worth in a world hungry for sustainable solutions. Related links: https://www.reflectorbital.com https://youtu.be/4BcDoDs89rc