Singapore will establish the National Space Agency of Singapore (NSAS) on April 1, 2026, to tap the booming global space economy.
Announced by Minister-in-charge of Energy and Science and Technology Tan See Leng at the inaugural Space Summit on February 2, NSAS will develop and operate Singapore’s space capabilities, including a multi-agency operations centre for satellite tasking and geospatial data analytics. It targets applications in port operations, urban planning, environmental monitoring, food security, and regional needs along the Equatorial Belt.
The agency will build space situational awareness to protect assets in a crowded orbit, develop pro-innovation legislation building on 2024 guidelines, and invest in R&D such as satellite remote sensing for carbon monitoring, debris remediation and microgravity health research.
Since 2022, Singapore has invested more than S$200 million in space projects, supporting 70 companies and 2,000 professionals, with plans to expand partnerships and talent.
NSAS will build on the groundwork laid by the Office for Space Technology and Industry (OSTIn) under the Economic Development Board, which has spearheaded Singapore’s space technology ecosystem since 2013.
Singapore’s space efforts span over 50 years, with more than 30 satellites launched in the past two decades, positioning it to tap a market projected at US$1.8 trillion by 2035.
Photo: Alex Andrews
Entelechy Asia 