The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) is gearing up to launch the Multispectral Unit for Land Assessment (MULA), the nation’s most advanced Earth observation satellite to date, between June and August 2026.
In a statement, the PhilSA said that the mid-2026 launch will mark a milestone in the Philippines’ space program, underscoring the country’s push for technological self-reliance.
Unlike earlier academic satellites such as Diwata and the Maya cube satellites, MULA is designed as a fully operational platform for practical applications, including agriculture, disaster response, environmental monitoring, and national development.
“As suggested by its name, this mission will study the terrain of the Philippines, and even its oceans, Dr. Izrael Zenar Bautista, MULA Project Manager said in Filipino.
“This is because we need this information to advance agriculture, and for our security. So, it [satellite] will take photos of the country every time it passes by… and it will turn over the satellite images to the various government agencies,” he added.
The MULA project was launched in 2020 under PhilSA’s Advanced Satellite Program (ASP), just a year after the agency was created through the Philippine Space Act of 2019. While the COVID-19 pandemic delayed development, Filipino engineers resumed the satellite build in 2023 in partnership with experts abroad.
“Noong 2021, may ilang engineers tayo na nagpunta sa UK para simulan iyong MULA satellite. Dahil syempre dahil sa pandemya, medyo naputol iyong pag-develop natin at naituloy ito noong 2023,” Bautista recalled.
Now in its testing phase, MULA is expected to undergo a test readiness review from late 2025 until early 2026. Upon passing environmental simulations and technical evaluations, it will be sent to its designated launch provider.
MULA is equipped with a high-resolution multispectral camera capable of capturing detailed imagery useful for a wide range of applications, from detecting crop diseases and pest infestations to assessing flood and drought damage. The satellite will also aid in coastal monitoring and urban planning.
According to Dr. Gay Jane Perez, the satellite can identify stages of crop growth and determine damage extent after natural disasters, allowing agencies to act faster and plan better.
“It can detect the different stages of crops. It can also detect pests and diseases. When typhoons hit the country, or when crops are affected by flooding, or even when they are affected by dry spells, we can assess the extent of the damage, he explained in Filipino.
Unlike previous satellite missions heavily supported by foreign institutions, MULA is built predominantly by Filipino engineers, from design and component simulation to integration and testing.
These developments were showcased during Philippine Space Week, held from August 8 to 14, 2025, with the theme “#YamangKalawakan ay Likas sa Maunlad na Kinabukasan.”
