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Economy

Space mirrors pose new risks to Malaysia’s astronomy and biotech sectors

Reflect Orbital will launch an 18-by-18-meter mirror satellite this year, a test for a planned constellation of up to 50,000 reflectors that could beam sunlight to Earth on demand.

Source: MIT Technology Review · August 21, 2026 at 11:31 PM · AI-assisted report

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Space mirrors pose new risks to Malaysia’s astronomy and biotech sectors
Photo: Wikimedia Commons — Intel

KUALA LUMPUR, 22 AUGUST 2026 —

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Reflect Orbital will launch an 18-by-18-meter mirror satellite this year, a test for a planned constellation of up to 50,000 reflectors that could beam sunlight to Earth on demand.

Market Impact

Researchers warn the beams could shine as bright as 10,000 full moons and scatter light over tens of kilometres, disrupting dark skies, aviation and wildlife. A single reflector may brighten an area larger than peninsular Malaysia, according to a study in Light: Science & Applications.

Malaysia’s observatories in Langkawi and Cameron Highlands sit within planned mega-constellation footprints, said Prof. Lim Boon Leong, director of the National Space Agency’s observatory unit. “We need regulatory safeguards before Malaysia’s night skies are permanently altered.”

Reflect Orbital argues the technology can extend daylight for solar farms, emergency lighting and military operations. The US startup has secured seed funding but has not disclosed a launch date for its first reflector.

Industry analysts say space-based infrastructure is outpacing global oversight. Bank Negara Malaysia’s 2024 financial stability review flagged space-based infrastructure as a potential systemic risk to Malaysia’s RM1.2 trillion capital market, citing disruption to communications, navigation and earth observation services.

Meanwhile, Insilico Medicine filed a patent for a fibrosis treatment without naming AI in the inventorship list, even though its AI platform proposed the molecule in 2020.

The company publicly called the treatment “discovered by” generative AI, yet the 2023 patent application lists five human inventors and omits any reference to artificial intelligence. Under current patent law in Malaysia, the United States and Europe, only natural persons can be named as inventors, even if AI contributed to the discovery.

“This creates a perverse incentive: companies may understate AI’s role to secure patents, undermining transparency,” said Dr. Rajan Uggappan, a partner at Kuala Lumpur-based intellectual-property firm Shearn Delamore & Co.

The World Intellectual Property Organization is reviewing whether AI-assisted inventions should receive separate legal treatment. A decision is expected by 2025.

For Malaysian biotech firms, the issue is already urgent. “At least three local startups are using AI to design new drugs,” said Dr. Sharifah Zarina Syed Ahmad, CEO of biotech incubator BiotechCorp. “If patent offices refuse to recognise AI’s contribution, we risk losing commercial protection for groundbreaking therapies.”

The Securities Commission Malaysia is reviewing disclosure rules for AI-generated financial forecasts after a public consultation showed investors want clearer labels on AI contributions.

Analysts say Malaysia’s exposure is growing. “The country hosts two of Southeast Asia’s largest astronomy facilities and has a thriving biotech sector,” said Nik Amni Nik Kamal, head of space policy at the Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology. “These issues are no longer theoretical.”

Related: Intel

Reporting based on MIT Technology Review. Figures and claims are subject to revision as the story develops. DomainFork publishes editorial context, not investment advice — see our editorial standards.