PH to launch biggest locally developed satellite in 2025

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 20) — Next year's anticipated launch of the largest satellite to be developed in the country has been reset to 2025, according to the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS).

The OPS on Wednesday said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. threw his support behind the “Multi-spectral Unit for Land Assessment” (MULA) which can help gather data on the country’s natural resources through high-resolution images.

MULA will be built by an all-Filipino team of engineers from the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSa), an attached agency of the Office of the President, with support from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), the office said.

“I am looking forward to the development of our MULA satellite and its subsequent launching sometime in 2025,” the President was quoted as saying after his meeting with DOST chief Renato Solidum and PhilSa officials led by Director General Joel Joseph Marciano.

According to the OPS, the satellite will weigh around 130 kilograms and is eyed to cover 73,000 square kilometers daily.

It said MULA can detect air and water quality, determine abundant fishing grounds, and zoom in on the presence of ships in Philippine waters, among others, to improve maritime domain awareness, territorial monitoring, and security evaluation.