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‘Some friends ask if I’m speaking to aliens’: How young Singaporeans are gearing up for space careers

By · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Academic institutions across Singapore are equipping campuses with advanced infrastructure, such as observatories and satellite-tracking stations, to provide hands-on experience to youth. These initiatives are designed to channel skilled graduates into domestic roles encompassing satellite fabrication, data analysis, and cross-sector integration. By exposing secondary and tertiary students to practical aerospace tools, educators aim to prepare engineers and researchers capable of applying space data to critical Earth-bound challenges.

Key points

  • National space officials require diverse talent to merge orbital technologies with establ…: National space officials require diverse talent to merge orbital technologies with established sectors such as finance and the maritime industry.
  • Educational institutions are establishing specialized training and observatories to devel…: Educational institutions are establishing specialized training and observatories to develop a sustainable pipeline of domestic aerospace professionals.
  • Hands-on school facilities enable students to conduct independent research on satellite c…: Hands-on school facilities enable students to conduct independent research on satellite communications, solar flares, and radio frequencies.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

Singapore is opening new pathways for young people into the space industry, but questions remain over whether these will lead to viable careers.

SINGAPORE: A tangle of wires snakes across the walls and ceiling of 14-year-old Edmund Lim's balcony.

It may not look like much, but the homemade antenna – assembled with just S$20 worth of wire and paired with a S$50 receiver – allows him to pick up radio broadcasts from as far away as the United States.

For Edmund, it is more than a hobby. The setup has deepened his curiosity about how satellites communicate with Earth.

His interest began during a lesson at the School of Science and Technology (SST), where he learnt to receive radio signals using a device connected to a computer.

"We managed to receive data from radio stations from all around Singapore. That made me interested in radio communications," said the Secondary 2 student, who is now studying how atmospheric conditions and time of day affect radio frequencies.

Edmund is among a growing group of young Singaporeans setting their sights on the space…

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