AFWERX to Advance Satellite-Based Sunlight Redirection Technology
Reflect Orbital Selected for SBIR Phase II Contract
AFWERX has awarded a Phase II SBIR contract in the amount of $1.25 million to Reflect Orbital focused on its sunlight on demand satellite reflector technology.
"This award validates the critical national need for nighttime energy and light."
Ben Nowack, Reflect Orbital
Reflect Orbital is building a constellation of satellites to deliver sunlight on demand. Using advanced reflector technology and large deployable structures, its satellites would transform into precise orbital mirrors, creating a new category of space-enabled infrastructure. Backed by Lux Capital, Sequoia Capital, and Starship Ventures, Reflect serves critical needs across energy resilience, nighttime lighting, defense, and beyond.
"This award validates the critical national need for nighttime energy and light, and reflects our belief that scalable, space-based solutions can deliver responsive light and energy anywhere on Earth," said Ben Nowack, CEO and Co-founder of Reflect Orbital. "We're thankful for the vote of confidence from the Department of the Air Force to advance energy independence and resilience."
The Air Force Research Laboratory and AFWERX have partnered to streamline the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) process by accelerating the small business experience through faster proposal to award timelines, changing the pool of potential applicants by expanding opportunities to small business and eliminating bureaucratic overhead by continually implementing process improvement changes in contract execution. The Department of the Air Force (DAF) began offering the Open Topic SBIR/STTR program in 2018 which expanded the range of innovations the DAF funded. On May 14, 2025, Reflect Orbital began its journey to create and provide innovative capabilities that will strengthen the national defense of the United States of America.