We speak with Mr Jonathan Hung, Executive Chairman, Singapore Space & Technology Limited (SSTL).
Singapore’s space hub story began in 2007 when SSTL was first founded as the only organisation to fill the need of connecting disparate space-related businesses with the emerging global space industry.
SSTL’s founding coincided with the emergence of the New Space movement that saw greater private sector participation in the space industry and a distinct shift away from a purely government-to-government-dominated landscape.
The early years of Singapore’s space industry centred around connecting the few players in the industry, connecting them into a regional ecosystem, and subsequently connecting that ecosystem to the global dialogue. This swiftly pivoted to a model of encouraging non-space industries to look to space for innovative solutions – with SSTL playing a key role in connecting the dots for the industry.
In more recent years, the space industry in Singapore has been dominated by key MoUs to encourage two-way deal flows of investment and trade between Singapore and major space superpowers like the UK. There has also been an increased focus on encouraging more space startups through SSTL’s Accelerator Programme.