SINGAPORE, Feb 2 — Singapore will establish its first national space agency on April 1 in a bid to sharpen the country’s capabilities in an increasingly competitive global space economy, reported The Straits Times.
The country’s Minister-in-charge of Energy and Science and Technology Tan See Leng said the National Space Agency of Singapore (NSAS) will anchor the country’s efforts to develop, deploy and safeguard its space assets.
The agency will also run a new multi-agency operations centre providing satellite tasking and geospatial analytics to support government work in areas ranging from port operations and urban planning to environmental monitoring and food security.
“Our geographical location positions us to do more in this region,” Tan said at the opening of Singapore’s inaugural Space Summit today, held alongside the Singapore Airshow.
Tan noted that the Singapore government currently co-owns three earth-observation satellites with defence and engineering group ST Engineering, and will continue expanding the country’s constellation to meet national and regional needs.
The Singapore government will also “progressively build up and operate space situational awareness capabilities, to ensure the safety of our space assets in the increasingly congested space domain”.
NSAS will be headed by veteran public servant Ngiam Le Na, deputy chief executive of the defence research organisation DSO National Laboratories.
With 25 years in public service and leadership roles across the defence science sector, she previously oversaw the acquisition and development of earth-observation satellites for environmental monitoring, maritime security and disaster relief, according to the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
The new agency will take over and broaden the efforts of the Economic Development Board’s Office for Space Technology and Industry, with a mandate to build “world-class space R&D capabilities, develop a thriving space industry and advance international partnerships”, Tan said.
Singapore has ramped up investment in the sector in recent years. Since 2022, more than S$200 million (RM620 million) has been allocated to space-related R&D projects, supporting research institutes and companies working on satellite technologies.
Tan said future funding will target climate and sustainability-focused applications — including satellite-based carbon monitoring — as well as space-situational awareness and microgravity research linked to human health.
The Singapore government will also expand its international partnerships and help local space-technology firms tap regional opportunities. Singapore is currently home to about 70 space companies and 2,000 professionals spanning sectors from satellite design to space-based services.
Singapore’s experience in space technology dates back more than half a century. It built its first ground station in 1971, launched its first communications satellite in 1998 and sent its first locally built satellite into orbit in 2011. Industry, academia and government partnerships have produced more than 30 satellites over the past two decades.
MTI said NSAS will lead efforts to help Singapore fully participate in the fast-growing global space economy, projected to reach US$1.8 trillion by 2035.
