With the said event aimed at boosting Filipino expertise in rocket development and advancing the country’s launch capabilities.
According to the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA), a ten-member team from the country was sent to South Korea last August for a two-month-long training on the development, assembly, and test of a liquid-fueled rocket.
This is in preparation for the launch of liquid fueled rocket in Lal-lo, Cagayan in 2027, a move announced by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. during his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA).
The ongoing training provides PhilSA personnel with hands-on experience in rocket assembly and systems integration, testing, operational procedures, and preparations for the planned test launch, the agency stated.
“Through the transfer of technical knowledge and practical experience, PhilSA is developing Filipino expertise in rocket systems, launch operations, safety procedures, and related launch-support activities,” it added.
The space agency also noted that rockets are considered as “enablers” because they provide access to space by transporting satellites and scientific payloads that deliver services back on Earth.
“Progressively developing our domestic launch capabilities will allow greater flexibility and independence in sending satellites into space, which serves the country’s key sectors such as security, telecommunications, and agriculture,” explained PhilSA Acting Director General Gay Jane Perez, Ph.D.
The said training is also part of PhilSA’s SIKLAB: Building Industrial Space Launch Systems Project, which is being conducted with South Korean space mobility company Perigee Aerospace, Inc. — a cooperation that began in 2022.
Moreover, it builds upon the first phase conducted in 2025, and expands across a broader range of activities in the liquid-fueled rocket operational cycle, with the training covering full system assembly, integration, and testing of the sounding rocket in South Korea, as well as preparations for and operations during its test launch in Cagayan.
According to the PhilSA, the 2027 launch will utilize the Blue Whale 0.1 (BW0.1), a liquid-propellant sounding rocket platform developed by Perigee.
“The liquid-fueled sounding rocket the PhilSA team built during the training will be shipped to the Philippines and undergo further testing in preparation for the launch next year, during which it will carry a locally developed payload around two kilograms to an altitude of at least five kilometers,” noted PhilSA.
The payload, which was developed by the national space agency, also serves as a technology demonstration for a future suborbital or satellite-based platform for detecting and monitoring radio signals from ground-based sources.
“In simple terms, the payload will measure and record the strength of signals such as those coming from 4G LTE cell towers, which may eventually be used to identify areas with low cellular signal coverage. Its deployment via the sounding rocket provides an opportunity to test its functionality in a relevant flight environment and support the advancement of its technology readiness level,” elaborated the agency.
In parallel with the training, PhilSA and the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) will also conduct local site preparation and dialogues with the LGU and constituents in Cagayan.
A safety exclusion zone plan is also being developed to ensure the safety of nearby areas during all stages of execution.
“A successful liquid-fueled sounding rocket test launch in 2027 will demonstrate that we have the technical, operational, safety, and regulatory foundations for future launches from the Philippines; and potentially attract foreign investments from private aerospace companies,” stressed PhilSA Acting Director General Perez, who also noted that SIKLAB program is is a long-term investment in Filipino talent and innovation.
