The national space agency of Singapore said on Wednesday, February 26, that the country has launched a new program to use remote sensing satellite technology to address sustainability and humanitarian issues in the region.
According to a press release from the organization, the Earth Observation Initiative (EOI), headed by Singapore's Office for Space Technology & Industry (OSTIn), will focus on issues pertaining to food and water quality, disease and disaster monitoring, forestry, and land management across Asia-Pacific.
Over the next two years, OSTIn's Space Technology Development Programme (STDP) will receive an additional S$60 million (US$44.8 million) in funding to foster technical innovation and expand Singapore's space technology ecosystem.
Singapore's space sector entering new phase of growth
Additionally, the agency will collaborate with its international counterparts to create global norms and an inclusive, open, and rules-based system that governs space operations.
These were some of the new projects that were introduced at the Global Space Technology Convention & Exhibition 2025 to propel Singapore's entry into the emerging space industry.
A World Economic Forum analysis released in April of last year projects that the size of the global space economy will treble, from US$630 billion in 2023 to US$1.8 trillion by 2035.
Economic Development Board (EDB) managing director Jacqueline Poh said, "Singapore's space sector is entering a new phase of growth, driven by global developments lowering the cost of space technology and growing real-world needs."
"By leveraging our strengths in business and R&D (research and development), we aim to develop space technologies that can unlock new economic opportunities, reinforcing Singapore's role in the global space economy," he added.
Coordinated by OSTIn, the EOI is the first of its kind in Singapore and seeks to leverage space technologies to address regional concerns.
Predict natural disasters with unprecedented speed
International organizations like the World Bank and the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, as well as regional organizations like the Singapore Land Authority and Maritime and Port Authority, are among the 15 partners and members, along with research institutes and industrial participants.
According to OSTIn, earth observation technology offers thorough, real-time data on a variety of environmental circumstances, making it an affordable means of resource monitoring, management, and mobilization.
The statement read, "This enables us to track changes in land use, monitor water resources, assess crop health, and predict natural disasters with unprecedented speed and accuracy."
"The uniqueness of Earth observation lies in its ability to cover vast areas quickly and repeatedly, reducing the need for extensive ground-based data collection and providing valuable insights to inform targeted interventions and policy decisions."
Jonathan Hung, executive director of OSTIn said, "Earth observation hubs do exist in established spacefaring regions, like the West, but there is a gap in the Asia-Pacific region, and in Southeast Asia specifically."
According to the agency, Singapore's near-equatorial and Low Earth Orbit satellite capabilities put it in a good position to provide the region with regular, high-resolution data. For a variety of uses, satellites can now operate in orbits closer to Earth thanks to technologies known as Very Low Earth Orbit.
Initiatives focused on national priority sectors
In addition to addressing regional issues, the project intends to use the information gathered to customize solutions to the particular requirements of the Asia-Pacific area before distributing them to other areas facing comparable difficulties.
Workshops, seminars, and training sessions are held to share insights, best practices, and lessons in the field of Earth observation, with an emphasis on information exchange and capacity building.
Additionally, during the following two years, OSTIn won an additional S$60 million for the STDP, which aims to increase the innovation of satellite technologies, support the development of capabilities in the nation's research institutions and Institutes of Higher Learning, and aid in the commercialization of research.
The program offers funding for initiatives focused on national priority sectors, such as emerging and disruptive technologies, aviation, maritime, and sustainability.
The agency said, "This means that OSTIn will have these two years to award funding to projects; but the completion of projects can take up to a longer time of four to five years."
The S$150 million that was initially committed in 2022 has been topped up with this most recent payment.
Three schemes within the STDP are centered on technology development, concept validation and prototyping, and regular space access facilitation.
Very Low Earth Orbit satellite technologies and satellite-enabled precision agricultural technologies that improve crop monitoring, resource allocation, and water management are among the initiatives financed by the STDP.
Singapore will keep collaborating with its international counterparts, including through regional and international space talks, to guarantee the safe and sustainable use of space.
In order to improve R&D and industry collaboration, it will also collaborate with foreign partners like the European Space Agency and the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center.
According to Hung, there are already over 2,000 researchers and experts working in the field across 70 companies. He said that they work on the software side, which includes data processing and images, as well as the hardware side, which includes creating the satellites and other supply chain tasks.
Deliver impactful space-related innovation
In a media briefing, he said, "Now we want to expand this ecosystem to deliver impactful space-related innovation and solutions to the world. So, with that context, you can see how we are very keen and ready to move into our next phase of growth and development for the space sector."
Hung stated that the industry is "very niche" and that "the more the merrier" when asked if there is a specific amount of people that OSTIn is attempting to draw into the field with their recent initiatives.
"We do get a range of talent that participates. There's no space engineer per se. Satellite engineers cut across different fields of engineering. For example, we get a lot of electronics engineers, electrical engineers, we've got system engineers. So it's a mixed bag," he said.
"But at the same time, we also need to calibrate this to inbound companies and the growth of Singapore companies, as well to ensure that there are good jobs for Singaporeans."
Hung responded that it is not a ridiculous concept for Singapore to send someone to space in the future. According to him, Singapore must first make sure it has the necessary skills for the field, which it has spent decades creating, including industrial talent and satellite technologies.
"This is something that we are deliberately taking time to build. I think we are getting there," he said.
Although "we may not send persons to space so quickly," he continued, "OSTIn wants to see how it can get Singapore firms involved in space exploration missions, which are typically international efforts." This way, they may at least be a part of the mission.
