The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) is preparing a 2027 rocket test launch in Cagayan that will carry a developed device to measure cellular signals, while building Filipino expertise for future launch operations.
A 10-member PhilSA team is training in South Korea from August to October 2026 with South Korean space mobility company Perigee Aerospace, Inc. The training covers rocket assembly, testing, and launch preparations under “SIKLAB: Building Industrial Space Launch Systems Project.”
The team is working on Perigee’s Blue Whale 0.1 (BW0.1), a liquid-propellant sounding rocket. The rocket will carry a payload weighing around two kilograms to an altitude of at least five kilometers during its planned launch in Lal-lo, Cagayan.
PhilSA developed the payload to measure and record radio signal strength, including signals from 4G LTE cell towers. The technology could eventually help identify areas with poor cellular coverage. The flight will test how the device works in conditions relevant to future suborbital or satellite use.
“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,” said Gay Jane Perez, Ph.D, acting director general, PhilSA.
PhilSA and the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) will prepare the local site and hold discussions with local officials and residents. A safety exclusion zone plan is being developed, and the rocket will undergo further testing after shipment to the Philippines.
“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,” Perez said.
Cagayan North International Airport will provide infrastructure for the test, supported by CEZA’s economic zone framework. The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and Ascend International Gateway, a Philippine corporation engaged in airport operations and management, are providing connectivity and logistical support.
The training expands on a program completed in 2025 and cooperation between PhilSA and Perigee that began in 2022. Personnel are gaining experience in integrating rocket components, conducting tests, and following launch and safety procedures.
For PhilSA, the project is intended to develop skills that could support future spaceport development, industrial partnerships, and employment in the Philippine space sector. Operational findings from the test will inform preparations for future launch activities and cooperation with industry and international partners.