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Singapore will be launching a small satellite into space to Singapore to discover new frontiers in space.

Expected to launch in 2025, the satellite will fly in Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) about 250km above Earth for over a year.

The pioneering project was announced at the Global Space and Technology Convention (GSTC) on Feb. 9, alongside the formation of a new space consortium led by Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

Flying at Very Low Earth Orbit

Conventional satellites are typically found in orbits at least twice that altitude, between 500 and 800km -- a space that is becoming increasingly overcrowded.

Satellites built for lower orbits would be more versatile, and overall less expensive for a better performance, said Lim Wee Seng, Executive Director of Satellite Research Centre (SaRC) in NTU.

NTU's VLEO microsatellite is only 100kg -- the size of a mini-fridge.

In comparison, existing satellites by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the European Space Agency (ESA) at the same altitude are relatively massive.

To overcome the challenge of higher drag conditions in lower orbit, NTU's spin-off company Aliena innovated a unique, fuel-efficient engine that has enabled the satellite to be miniature while maintaining its altitude.

At the end of its lifespan, the VLEO satellite would not contribute to space pollution as it is expected to burn up in the atmosphere during re-entry.

Enhanced imaging capabilities

At the same time, the low orbit satellite would also be better equipped to image Earth's surface.

The satellite will house the nation's first locally-designed space camera by tech firm LightHaus Photonics.

Its camera can capture high-resolution images of objects as small as 0.5m, about the size of a delivery parcel.

This is a 20 times improvement in imaging quality from X-SAT, Singapore’s first locally-built satellite developed by NTU and DSO National Laboratories, which launched in 2011.

With better imaging data, such satellites can significantly bolster efforts in real-world applications such as in disaster recovery or optimising air traffic, said Lim.

Satellite technology in Singapore

The project is part of the consortium's efforts to develop the next generation of commercial VLEO satellites with multiple applications, from communications and imaging to climate and weather monitoring.

The satellite is a proof of concept trialling novel developed-in-Singapore space technologies, and it further positions Singapore as a VLEO solutions hub.

The consortium includes NTU, Aliena, LightHaus Photonics, ST Engineering and NUS Temasek Laboratories, and the project is supported by Singapore's national space office, the Office for Space Technology and Industry (OSTIn).

Currently, Singapore has launched 13 satellites into Earth's orbit, nine of which were designed, built, tested and operated by NTU's SaRC.

Top image by NTU.