Space Faculty’s Lynette Tan believes the future of space begins with people, not technology

As part of Her World’s Women Of The Year celebration, the Her World Hello Possibilities award is presented in collaboration with Singtel and recognises inspirational female game changers who have made it their business to improve the lives of women and society at large through their company’s impact, creativity and clever use of technology.

A career in space exploration and development may seem unlikely in a small country like Singapore. However, in Lynette Tan — CEO of Space Faculty — the nation has found a pioneer and passionate advocate.

“It’s funny, because when I was volunteering in my twenties at space organisations, people would think I was a property agent,” recalls Lynette with a laugh. “Now, when you say ‘space’, people get it — so we really have come a long way.”

An optimist by nature, Lynette sees potential where others do not. This was evident when she set up Space Faculty, where she found that the biggest challenge was not technical capability or business infrastructure, but rather imagination. “People initially viewed the space industry as being purely about rocketry, or something only for large nations,” she says. “We had to shift that mindset to show that the modern space economy is inherently multidisciplinary and beneficial to society — from education to the economy to human quality of life.”

The biggest barrier to the space industry isn’t technology — it’s imagination

She believes an underrated aspect of working in the space industry is the mindset it demands. “It trains people to embrace ambiguity and the unknown,” she says. “This work cultivates a positive view of risk and, in turn, forges uncommon resilience — a critical attribute for success.”

Developing the space industry in Singapore requires people to keep that ambiguity in mind. “We have to encourage people to move education from textbooks to a platform that allows them to design and build a future that does not yet exist,” she explains. “This is why we created initiatives like the International Space Challenge — they remind young people that the future is for them to imagine and build.”

It’s a mindset shift she believes anyone interested in the industry must undertake. To support this, Space Faculty runs corporate and executive programmes, such as Space 2.0 for Asia — a collaboration with Dr. Andy Aldrin, Associate Professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and President of the Aldrin Family Foundation. The programme, which will take place in February 2026 following Singapore Space Week, ensures that current leaders are equipped with a visionary ‘space mindset.’

For Lynette, this collective way forward is deeply important. An introvert at heart, she is quiet and thoughtful, yet deeply passionate about her work and committed to sharing her experiences with like-minded individuals. She strongly believes in mentorship and participated in the Her World Mentorship Programme this year. “I know it’s very cliché to say it was beneficial — but it was! You can see how different generations approach career and professional challenges differently.”

Lynette found herself mentoring a young woman with a similar career path. “I hope it was beneficial to her, but it certainly was a useful platform for me to learn new things and see things through different lenses.”

She is also deeply appreciative of her own mentors — individuals who came before her in Singapore’s still-young space industry. She cites Professor Lui Pao Chuen, Mr. Seah Moon Ming and Atsushi Taira as confidantes who understand the unique pressures of navigating a pioneering field, and also mentions Ng Chong Khim and Koh Soo Boon as business mentors. “They have been very generous with their knowledge and the time they’ve invested in me,” she reflects. “I think they set a very good baseline for my idea of mentorship — that generosity is the foundation. I was a strong beneficiary of this pay-it-forward attitude; I don’t think I could have done it any other way.”

The future of space is still deeply human

While Lynette continues to see the positives in developments in space and technology, she insists that the human element must remain central to the conversation. “AI technology, autonomous systems, quantum fusion — human capital is behind it all. That’s the common denominator. It’s all created by humans, for the benefit of humans — and these technologies are getting really sexy,” she says with a laugh. “But we have to go back to the basics: What makes a good inventor? What defines an innovation mindset? What makes a good space engineer?”

She cautions against forgetting the human side of it all. “The ‘doomsday scenario’ is that people become lazier and over-rely on AI. I don’t know — but what I want to draw attention to is organic intelligence, and the need to focus on that.”

Looking to the future, Lynette firmly believes Singapore has a role to play in global space travel because it already invests heavily in human capital. “This focus is precisely where our nation’s true competitive advantage lies — in leading the talent development necessary for the global space sector.”

As an example, Space Faculty has already engaged with 25,000 people from nearly 100 countries since 2021. She believes Singapore is a major part of that success. “Our flagship home-grown platform, the International Space Challenge (ISC), is one of the longest-running space competitions today,” she notes with quiet pride.

For Lynette, risk is not danger, and vulnerability is not weakness. “The strength to seek out counsel is one of the most powerful tools a leader can possess,” she says, adding, “Risk is also not about being foolish. It’s about saying, ‘Okay, this is what I need to move forward. It’s going to be uncomfortable and a bit scary, but I’m going to do it so I can get to where I need to be.’”

PHOTOGRAPHY & ART DIRECTION Shawn Paul Tan
STYLING Cheryl Chan
HAIR & MAKEUP Sveta/Subarbs Studio
OUTFIT In Good Company