In April, Singapore will launch its national space agency and invest heavily in the fast-growing global space economy and tries to turn its highly developed technological resources into a strong orbital presence.
Singapore will establish the National Space Agency of Singapore (NSAS) formally on 1st April, and the management will be under the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI).
The project will aim at maximizing the value and potential of the increasing space economy, as the government believes, with space technology enticing unprecedented levels of individual investment around the globe.
The plan was announced by Minister Tan See Leng who is in-charge of energy and science and technology, and described NSAS as a move towards establishing a decisive leadership in a fast-growing sector.
Said the Ministry of Trade and Industry, which will run the new agency.
Singapore’s strengths in advanced manufacturing, aerospace, micro-electronics, precision engineering and artificial intelligence position us well to capture new opportunities in the space technology sector.
This was announced at the first Space Summit Singapore, which took place on February 2, 2026.
Why now?
Singapore currently boasts of about 70 space companies with around 2,000 professionals in different positions in the value chain, including satellite fabrication to data analytics.
The new agency will play a critical role in assisting Singapore to tap into the rapidly expanding global space economy, which is expected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035.
According to MTI, the NSAS will coordinate national efforts to capture value in the growing space sector. Having advanced manufacturing, aerospace, microelectronics, and precision engineering strengths, Singapore prepares to capture high-value functions in satellites, launch services, and relying on space within artificial intelligence and geospatial analytics.
What will NSAS do?
The new agency will also design and execute the national capabilities of space in Singapore, including the ability to task satellites and analyze geospatial data to create and support urban planning and port management, environmental control and food security.
NSAS will also draft laws and rules to promote innovation and make space companies establish operations in Singapore which will involve regional expansion in Asia.
It will expand the activity of the current Office for Space Technology and Industry (OSTIn), making the research and development in the fields of artificial intelligence, robotics, space situational awareness and sustainability technology larger.
The regional contest
A quiet competition is emerging in Southeast Asia with other countries like Indonesia and Thailand also developing their own space aspirations, although Singapore has the upper hand of a well-stabilized business environment, strong intellectual property laws and an ecosystem rich in technology and finance.
The objective of NSAS is not the establishment of a complete rocket program but a gateway to having Singapore as an established trusted hub in the region as far as space data and its regulation as well as operations of regional satellites is concerned especially in the equatorial region.
Looking ahead
The space sector in Singapore is in the process of incubation phase to institutionalization, where NSAS has given a clear national mandate.
The vertical integration of the local capabilities and global supply chains and attracting great investors will determine the success of the space agency, and this has seen the space industry being estimated at trillion dollars over the next decade.
