NTU Satellite Research Centre Executive Director Lim Wee Seng with a final model of NTU's next satellite, named Elite.
As a research satellite, Elite is expected to spend about 1½ years in space to test some novel, home-grown devices and see if it is possible for more Singapore satellites to fly closer to Earth. “It’s a good thing for us because we can prove that we can operate a satellite in high solar activity,” said Mr Lim Wee Seng, executive director of the Satellite Research Centre.
President Tharman toured Singapore’s first satellite-building facility and was briefed on the country’s local space ecosystem by NTU and the Office for Space Technology and Industry, the national space office. President Tharman Shanmugaratnam being introduced to Singapore’s space ecosystem at NTU’s Satellite Research Centre on June 11. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOOA key obstacle facing space vehicles at very low orbit is atmospheric drag, which can slow down the satellite, causing it to veer off-course and re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere within days. More solar flares would also make conditions worse for the machine.