Home Team set to launch first satellite in 2029 to detect hazardous gas plumes
The satellite would give the Singapore Civil Defence Force earlier warning during emergencies, enabling faster decisions and responses, said Coordinating Minister for National Security K Shanmugam.
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SINGAPORE: Singapore’s Home Team is set to launch its first satellite in 2029, as it explores the use of space technology in strengthening public safety.
Codenamed Xplorer, the satellite will be developed by the Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX) and target hazardous gas plumes, Coordinating Minister for National Security K Shanmugam said on Tuesday (Apr 28).
Xplorer will weigh about 100kg and be launched into near equatorial orbit, with capabilities to detect hazardous gases such as ammonia, according to HTX. The launch will be done in collaboration with ST Engineering.
The satellite would give the Singapore Civil Defence Force earlier warning in times of emergency and improve its situational awareness, enabling faster decisions and responses, said Mr Shanmugam, who is also Home Affairs Minister.
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“Beyond AI, we have to invest ahead of the curve. Some technologies may not yet be central to today’s operations. But they will shape tomorrow’s strategic advantage. Space is one such domain,” he said during the opening ceremony of this year’s Milipol TechX Summit.
Held at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, the three-day event focuses on using science and technology to enhance public safety. Over 15,000 attendees from 75 countries are expected, including top government officials, industry leaders, and academia.
Mr Shanmugam also said that HTX is partnering with the new National Space Agency of Singapore (NSAS) to explore how space technology can be used to further strengthen public safety.
The NSAS was launched on Apr 1.
Singapore has launched more than 30 satellites over the past 20 years, mostly by academia and the private sector. They are used for Earth observation, technology demonstration and communications. The government currently co-owns three Earth observation satellites with ST Engineering.
GEOPOLITICS AND THE TECH LANDSCAPE
The global technology landscape has been rapidly reshaped by geopolitics, with supply chains being reconfigured and hardware, software and ecosystems being decoupled, said Mr Shanmugam.
“This creates friction in how nations acquire, how they integrate and how they deploy technology,” he said, adding that technology is also being weaponised to create new attack vectors.
He cited the example of the UNC3886 cyberattack last year, which targeted Singapore’s four major telcos.
The minister said AI can be the “most important force multiplier”, adding that HTX launched the Home Team AI Movement in 2024.
“Serious AI capability requires infrastructure which is sovereign, it requires trusted partnerships, and it requires the ability to build and deploy models that are under our control,” he said.
HTX signed a memorandum of understanding with major chip maker Nvidia last month, to further develop the Ministry of Home Affairs’ sovereign AI infrastructure, covering areas including AI research, talent development, technical consultancy and early access to development kits.
The agency will also sign a Strategic Partnership for Innovation with French firm Mistral AI, to deepen research into areas like embodied AI and video analytics, said Mr Shanmugam.
HUMANOID PUSH
He added that AI cannot operate in the abstract, with sensors, autonomous systems and Home Team officers needed to operationalise it.
“Many of these are already deployed today: ground robots, unmanned vessels, drones, automated passenger gates in our checkpoints and clearance systems,” he said.
The next step is humanoid robotics, as the Home Team takes a major step forward in deploying such systems more widely, said Mr Shanmugam.
HTX will launch the Home Team Humanoid Robotics Centre (H2RC) in September, where it will co-develop humanoid robots with partners and let officers test prototypes and create new operational concepts.
“It is different from commercial humanoids built for general-purpose use,” he said.
“H2RC will train humanoid robots with skills specially for Home Team operational scenarios with high risks. Examples include hazardous material response and fire safety.”
In his speech, Mr Shanmugam said that such capabilities cannot be built in isolation, and emphasised the need for deep partnerships with trusted governments, industry leaders and research institutions.
He noted that Singapore already works with other countries on multiple fronts, such as mobile technology, cloud technology and electric vehicles.
“The strong international presence here today reflects a mutual understanding that the challenges we face are shared and the solutions have to be built in cooperation with trusted countries as well as organisations,” said Mr Shanmugam.
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