SINGAPORE, 14 May 2026 - The Global Space Technology Convention & Exhibition 2026 (GSTCE 2026) closed in Singapore with a clear message for the region: space is no longer only about exploration, national missions or satellites in orbit. It is becoming a practical business capability for industries on Earth.
Organised by Singapore Space & Technology Think Tank (SST Think Tank), GSTCE 2026 brought together space agencies, corporates, investors, startups, trade associations and technology partners at Marina Bay Sands from 13 to 14 May 2026. Held under the theme "Commercialising Space: Driving Economic Value Across Industries", the event positioned Asia Pacific - and Southeast Asia in particular - as a fast-growing market for space-enabled solutions.
The shift was anchored by a stronger focus on adoption. Across the two-day programme, speakers and exhibitors explored how Earth Observation, satellite communications, geospatial analytics, positioning, navigation and timing, and other space-based capabilities can support agriculture, maritime, defence, infrastructure, energy, insurance, logistics and climate resilience.
A key discussion point was the scale of the opportunity. According to "Space to Thrive: Southeast Asia's Space Industry on the Rise", co-published by Deloitte and SST Think Tank, increased adoption of Earth Observation data could contribute US$100 billion in additional cumulative GDP value for Southeast Asia between 2023 and 2030. Across Asia Pacific, the broader cumulative value-add from increased Earth Observation adoption is projected to reach US$619 billion by 2030.
GSTCE 2026 also featured headline speaker Major General Clint Crosier, President of DeltaV Strategies, retired US Space Force Major General, and founder of Amazon Web Services' global Aerospace & Satellite business. His opening address examined how space is moving from mission-led infrastructure into a driver of economic competitiveness, resilience and technology transformation.
Several major partnerships and platforms were announced at the event. Deloitte presented the first Southeast Asia Pavilion, bringing together regional space agencies and companies to showcase Southeast Asia's role as an emerging space market. SST Think Tank also announced partnerships with BlueTide Capital and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) to support Korean space and deep tech companies in accessing Singapore and the wider Asia Pacific region.
The Asia Pacific Alliance of Space Trade Associations (AASTA) was also launched and expanded, connecting space trade associations across Asia Pacific and other major markets to support collaboration, business matching and market access. In parallel, SST Think Tank deepened its work with non-space sectors through initiatives with Grow Asia and ESSEC Business School, aimed at translating space-enabled technologies into practical use cases for agriculture and executive leadership.
Other highlights included the launch of the Singapore Space Lab, hosted at IMDA PIXEL, supported by Deloitte, designed to bring space technologies closer to corporates, startups, investors and public-sector stakeholders.
With five country and regional pavilions and new cross-sector partnerships, GSTCE 2026 reinforced its role as a platform for turning Asia Pacific’s space opportunity into practical commercial outcomes.
For more information, visit www.space.org.sg/gstce/.

