PhilSA engineers finish rocket training for 2027 demonstration launch

Make this your preferred source to get more updates from this publisher on Google.

Ten engineers from the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) have completed hands-on rocket training in South Korea ahead of the country's planned demonstration launch in early 2027.

In a statement Wednesday, PhilSA said the engineers underwent training in the assembly, integration, and testing of a liquid-fueled sounding rocket under the SIKLAB: Building Industrial Space Launch Systems Project.

“The completion ceremony was held on 20 October 2026 in Okcheon, South Korea—highlighting the Philippines’ progress in developing domestic launch capabilities,” PhilSA said.

“Following this, the sounding rocket and ground support equipment will be shipped to the Philippines for final assembly and tests in Cagayan, with the demonstration launch targeted for early 2027,” it added.

The PhilSA engineers were trained at the Rocket Development Complex of Perigee Aerospace Inc., where they carried out the entire development cycle of the company's Blue Whale 0.1 (BW0.1) sounding rocket.

They also performed system-level verification procedures including a Dry Run, Wet Dress Rehearsal, and Static Fire Test.

According to PhilSA, the training builds on the first phase conducted in 2025, which focuses on rocket theory and the assembly of individual rocket components.

PhilSA is targeting the demonstration launch in early 2027 using its version of the BW0.1, South Korea's first privately developed liquid-propellant rocket.

The rocket was developed by Perigee Aerospace and test-launched on Jeju Island in 2021.

PhilSA Acting Director General Gay Jane P. Perez said the project aims to establish capabilities that would support future launch activities.

“Our goal goes beyond a single launch. We want this undertaking to open doors to succeeding launch activities, attract more commercial interest, and create opportunities for Filipino engineers, researchers, and enterprises to participate in the growing space economy,” she said.

“We want the knowledge gained here to translate into lasting capabilities and contribute to the development of our space industry,” she added.—AOL, GMA News