Milestones

NTU Satellite Research Centre (SaRC) - Key Milestones

1996 – Laying the Foundation

  • Merlion Project initiated with funding from the National Science and Technology Board (NSTB)
  • Establishment of NTU’s Satellite Engineering Programme, laying the foundation for Singapore’s space engineering capabilities

1999 – First Flight of a Singapore-Designed Satellite Payload

  • Launch of the Merlion Communication Payload, developed in collaboration with Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL), University of Surrey
  • Flown on UoSAT-12 mini-satellite
    • Launch date: 21 April 1999
    • Launch vehicle: SS-18 ICBM
    • Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
  • Establishment of the Satellite Engineering Centre (SEC)
    • Inter-school research centre involving EEE, MPE, SCE, and SME

2001 – Strengthening Research Capability

  • Formation of the Centre for Research in Satellite Technologies (CREST)
    • Joint centre between SEC and DSO National Laboratories

2011 – First Singapore-Built Microsatellite

  • Launch of XSAT, Singapore’s first locally built Earth-imaging microsatellite
    • Launch date: 20 April 2011
    • Launch vehicle: PSLV-C16
    • Launch site: Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota, India
  • Establishment of a joint venture company between ST Electronics, NTU, and DSO National Laboratories
    • Formation of ST Electronics (Satellite Systems) Pte. Ltd. (May 2011)

2013 – Singapore’s First Nanosatellite

  • Launch of VELOX-PII (1U nanosatellite – satellite control mission)
    • Launch date: 21 November 2013
    • Launch vehicle: DNEPR, Russia

2014 – Advancing Nanosatellite Engineering

  • Launch of Singapore’s first locally designed 3U nanosatellites
    • VELOX-I carrying VELOX-PIII
    • Missions: Earth imaging and intra-satellite RF communication
    • Launch date: 30 June 2014
    • Launch vehicle: PSLV-C23
    • Launch site: Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota, India

2015 – Expansion into Industry Partnerships

  • Establishment of S4TIN – Smart Small Satellite Systems Thales in NTU
    • Joint laboratory between Thales Alenia Space, Thales Solutions Asia, and NTU SaRC
    • Established: 11 February 2015
  • PSLV-C29 multi-satellite launch (SG50 mission) – 16 December 2015
    • Launch site: Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota, India
    • VELOX-II (6U nanosatellite – inter-satellite communication)
      • Joint project with Addvalue Technologies
      • First LEO-to-GEO satellite communication demonstrated using a 6U nanosatellite
    • VELOX-CI (120 kg microsatellite – GPS radio occultation)

2016-2017 – In-Orbit Propulsion Demonstration

  • Launch of AOBA VELOX-III (2U nanosatellite – electric propulsion)
    • Joint project with Kyushu Institute of Technology (Kyutech)
    • Launched to ISS: 9 December 2016 via JAXA H-2B (Kounotori-6 / HTV-6), Tanegashima Space Center, Japan
    • Deployed into orbit: 16 January 2017

2018 – Precision Timing in Space

  • Launch of SPATIUM (2U nanosatellite – atomic clock experiment)
    • Joint project with Kyutech
    • Launched to ISS: 15 September 2018 via JAXA H-2B (Kounotori HTV-7), Tanegashima Space Center, Japan
    • Deployed into orbit: 6 October 2018 via the Kibo module

2019 – Advanced Propulsion and Lunar Science

  • Launch of AOBA VELOX-IV (2U nanosatellite)
    • Missions: Lunar horizon glow observation and thruster demonstration
    • Joint project with Kyutech
    • Launch date: 18 January 2019
    • Launch vehicle: JAXA Epsilon-4
    • Launch site: Uchinoura Space Center, Japan

2022 – Student Satellite Programme

  • Launch of SCOOB-I (3U nanosatellite)
    • Student Satellite Series (S3-I)
    • Mission: Heliophysics
    • Launch date: 30 June 2022
    • Launch vehicle: PSLV-C53
    • Launch site: Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota, India

2023 – Multi-Satellite Scientific Missions

  • Launch of VELOX-AM (23 kg microsatellite)
    • Collaboration with ARTC / A*STAR
    • Mission: In-orbit testing of 3D printing technology and advanced space materials
  • Launch of ARCADE (26.4 kg microsatellite)
    • Atmospheric Coupling and Dynamics Explorer
    • Multi-payload mission under INSPIRE (International Satellite Program in Research and Education)
  • Launch of SCOOB-II (3U nanosatellite – Student Satellite Series S3-II)
    • All launched: 30 July 2023 via PSLV-C56
    • Launch site: Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota, India
  • Hosted the 5th COSPAR Symposium at NTU
  • NTU SaRC became a member of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF)

2024 – National and International Recognition

  • Official visit by the President of Singapore to NTU SaRC (11 June 2024)
    • Accompanied by EDB OSTIn and members of the Singapore space ecosystem

2026 – 30 Years of NTU Space Innovation

  • Celebrating three decades of excellence in satellite engineering, research, talent development, and global collaboration