MANILA, Philippines (Jun. 2026) — The Philippines just got a lot more serious about space.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. presided over the 9th Philippine Space Council (PSC) meeting on June 4, approving a series of resolutions that put the country on track to build its own satellite constellation, launch a liquid-fuelled rocket from Philippine soil, and establish a dedicated geostationary communications satellite.
The MULA satellite is almost ready for orbit
The centerpiece of the meeting was an update on the Multispectral Unit for Land Assessment, or MULA, the most advanced satellite the Philippines has ever built. According to Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) Ad Interim Director General Gay Jane Perez, Ph.D., the satellite is now fully assembled and currently undergoing space environment testing in the United Kingdom to confirm it meets all technical and mission requirements.
If all goes well, MULA is targeting a launch in April 2027 aboard a SpaceX Transporter-20 mission. Once in orbit, it will collect Earth observation data to support agriculture, maritime monitoring, disaster risk reduction, and national security.
More satellites are coming — built right here
The PSC didn’t stop at one. The council approved the development of a MULA constellation as a national priority, which means the Philippines plans to build multiple follow-on satellites domestically using the license it already holds to reproduce the MULA design locally.
“PhilSA proposes to build a MULA constellation, composed of follow-on satellites developed and integrated domestically, to secure long-term continuity and improved availability of Earth observation data for government users,” Perez said, adding that more satellites mean more frequent coverage of Philippine territory and a stronger foundation for a local space manufacturing industry.
A rocket launch from Cagayan is happening next year
Perhaps the most striking announcement: the Philippines is targeting the launch of its first liquid-fuelled rocket from Lal-lo Airport in Cagayan as early as the first quarter of 2027. The launch is designed to demonstrate a domestic propellant supply chain and establish safety protocols for local rocket operations.
It is also a major step toward building a Philippine spaceport. The country’s geography works in its favor here. Its position near the equator and proximity to the open Pacific Ocean make it well-suited for rocket launches and recovery operations, which can help reduce costs and improve launch efficiency compared to sites farther from the equator.
A space internet for emergencies
The PSC also approved a resolution to establish a Philippine geostationary telecommunications satellite, intended to provide a reliable communications backbone for the country, particularly as a backup when terrestrial networks go down during disasters or emergencies.
Satellite data now supports government accountability
On the policy side, a resolution was passed to harmonize satellite data requirements across government agencies, making it easier to use satellite-derived information for national infrastructure planning, monitoring, and evaluation. PhilSA also confirmed it has been supplying satellite imagery to the Office of the Ombudsman to support investigations into flood control projects.
A national response protocol on space debris was also approved, alongside the continuation of an interagency technical working group tasked with handling orbital debris risks in line with international standards.
The Philippine Space Council was created under the Philippine Space Act (RA 11363) as the principal advisory body overseeing the country’s space program and the implementation of PhilSA’s mandate.
