Southeast Asia’s space economy set for $100bn lift-off

Geospatial information

When applied to Earth observation data, AI can process decades of geospatial information in minutes to identify soil erosion, agricultural stress and maritime threats, and predict large-scale weather events like hurricanes and typhoons 50% faster, said Crosier.

In Southeast Asia, a joint report by Deloitte and the Singapore Space and Technology Think Tank (SSTT) estimates that the adoption of Earth observation data alone could contribute $100bn in additional GDP across the region by 2030.

Crosier also highlighted Singapore’s growing role as a strategic hub for this ecosystem, boasting around 70 space companies, 2,000 professionals and over S$200m committed to national space R&D.

Urging regional leaders to seize the space opportunity, he said: “You don’t have to build the most number of satellites, and you don’t have to launch the greatest number of rockets.”

Instead, he advised nations and companies to focus on the three Cs – the connective tissue integrating digital infrastructure, AI systems and data architecture for customers.

From ambition to execution

Echoing the call to action, Michelle Khoo, leader of the Centre for the Edge at Deloitte Southeast Asia, noted that the barriers to adopting space technology have dropped dramatically thanks to the launch of 4,000 new satellites globally over the past year, bringing advanced sensors, higher revisit rates and better connectivity.

To demonstrate its commitment to the sector, Deloitte has launched three of its own satellites – part of a planned nine-satellite constellation – to improve the resilience of the space industry in terms of cyber security, onboard analytics and trusted data flows.

Khoo also shared several real-world examples of Southeast Asian organisations that are already reaping the benefits of the space economy.

In Malaysia, public transport operator Prasarana is using satellite navigation tracking to forecast ridership patterns before committing resources to bus service changes, condensing a process that used to take six to nine months.

In Indonesia, agribusinesses are aggregating satellite data to detect early signs of crop disease, while in the Philippines, satellite internet is bringing free public Wi-Fi to over 130,000 people across remote villages and indigenous communities.

Khoo also dispelled common industry myths, noting that initial pilot programmes can often be validated using free, open-source satellite data, meaning high costs are no longer an immediate barrier to entry.

In addition, she noted that it doesn’t take a long time to achieve returns-on-investments. “Space data provides an outside-in insight that can be immediately leveraged,” said Khoo. “There are many established use cases and enterprise-ready solutions. Now, all that’s needed is for you to take the first step.”

As the new space race heats up, the ultimate winners will not just be those touching the stars, but also those building the systems that make sense of them.

“The question is not whether space and advanced technologies will transform the future,” said Crosier. “The real question is which nations, companies and leaders will help build this new foundation. Southeast Asia has the opportunity to emerge not merely as a participant, but as one of the world’s next major regional and global growth engines if you harness these new opportunities.”