PH explores rocket launches with South Korea in spaceport bid
Philippine and South Korean firms and government agencies are moving closer to conducting experimental rocket launches in the country as part of efforts to assess whether the Philippines can host its own spaceport.
In a statement on Friday, the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) said it had partnered with South Korea to collaborate on rocket development training and experimental launches in the Philippines.
Ultimately, this initiative aims to determine whether the country can support rocket launch and recovery operations and position the Philippines as a gateway to space in the region, PhilSA said.
“With its strategic location, expanding technical workforce, and commitment to cooperative development, the Philippines is well-positioned to become a strategic, safe and sustainable gateway to space for the region and the world,” the agency added.
Suitable conditions
The partnership was sealed during the Philippines-Korea Business Forum on Wednesday, where PhilSa signed a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Information and Communications Technology, the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority, Ascend International Gateway, Inc. and South Korea’s Perigee Aerospace, Inc.
Establishing a spaceport has long been a goal of PhilSA.
In July 2025, the agency submitted a proposal to the Public-Private Partnership Center seeking partners to develop the country’s “capabilities in launching assets into space,” while promoting the Philippines as a “safe and sustainable gateway.”
PhilSA said the Philippines’ geographic location could make it well-suited for rocket launches, citing its proximity to the equator and access to open waters in the Pacific Ocean that allow safer launch trajectories and recovery zones.
These conditions could help reduce launch costs, improve efficiency and open opportunities for scientific research and commercial space activities, the agency said.
PhilSA said the partnership builds on earlier cooperation between the agency and Perigee Aerospace, which involved rocket technology training for Filipino engineers in South Korea from October to November 2025.
Through the program, PhilSA engineers received lectures and hands-on experience in launch vehicle systems, including rocket assembly and testing.
According to the agency, the collaboration could eventually pave the way for localized rocket assembly, testing and launch operations in the Philippines.
