Perigee to Launch Blue Whale 0.1 From Philippines
Korean space company Perigee Aerospace plans its first launch of Blue Whale 0.1 from Philippine territory in early 2027.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Space
Perigee Aerospace completed the Korean phase of the Sounding Rocket Cooperation Program Phase 2 with the Philippine Space Agency, announced on November 2, 2026. The assembled Blue Whale 0.1 rocket is slated to launch from within Philippine territory in early 2027.
Why it matters
The program provides hands-on training for Philippine engineers and positions Perigee to expand its presence in the global space market, including Southeast Asia. It also marks a step toward regional launch capability built on South Korea's first private liquid-fuel rocket.
The figures come from a bilateral training program in which 10 Philippine Space Agency engineers spent about 10 weeks completing system-level verification, including vehicle and launch pad assembly, dry runs, wet dress rehearsals and combustion tests. The exact launch date and precise site within the Philippines have not yet been disclosed.
The players
Perigee Aerospace
A South Korean private space company developing the Blue Whale 0.1 liquid-fuel rocket and seeking to expand into the global space market.
Philippine Space Agency
The national space agency of the Philippines, which trained engineers in the program and will lead the upcoming launch from Philippine territory.
The details
Ten engineers from the Philippine Space Agency worked at Perigee's Korean headquarters and the Okcheon Rocket Development Complex, completing the full verification process for the Blue Whale 0.1 rocket. Blue Whale 0.1, South Korea's first private liquid-fuel rocket, previously conducted a test launch on Jeju Island in 2021.
Timeline
2021: Blue Whale 0.1 conducted a test launch on Jeju Island.
November 2, 2026: Perigee announced completion of the Korean phase of the program.
Early 2027: Blue Whale 0.1 is planned to launch from Philippine territory under Philippine Space Agency leadership.
Big Picture
The planned Philippine launch extends the Blue Whale 0.1 program beyond its 2021 Jeju Island test, moving South Korea's first private liquid-fuel rocket into international operations. It marks a shift from domestic testing toward cross-border launch activity in Southeast Asia.
Readers following regional space development can track the early 2027 Blue Whale 0.1 launch, which would be the first such launch from Philippine territory under local agency leadership. The program's progress will indicate how quickly Southeast Asian nations can build independent launch capability.
The takeaway
Commercial rocket partnerships like this one can give emerging space agencies hands-on launch experience before they operate their own vehicles. Watching whether the early 2027 launch proceeds on schedule will show how well such training translates into flight operations.
What happens next
The Blue Whale 0.1 launch from Philippine territory is planned for early 2027, with the exact date not yet announced.
Further reading
Explore more Space coverage to see how commercial rocket programs are expanding internationally.
