PH launches its first high-powered hybrid rocket

The Philippines has successfully launched its first high-powered hybrid rocket with a mission to deploy Can Satellite (CanSat) to the atmosphere, according to Chino Gaston's report on "24 Oras" on Tuesday.

TALA, measuring 10 feet in height and weighing 15 kilograms, was developed by students and space technology researchers from St. Cecilia's College in Cebu under the Young Innovators Program of the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development.

According to the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA), TALA lifted off at 11:57 a.m. last Saturday, May 20, at Crow Valley Gunnery Range in Capas, Tarlac. It deployed the Can Satellite payload before going into fast descent and eventually deploying its main parachute for a safe landing.

"Among the features of the TALA rocket are flight sensors, a GPS, a dual parachute deployment, and a payload system to bring a Can Satellite (CanSat) up to approximately 5 kilometers into the atmosphere," said PhilSA.

"According to the TALA team, sending CanSats into the atmosphere using hybrid rockets is more effective than deploying these simulated satellites using drones since hybrid rockets can deploy to higher altitudes. CanSats are used in educational settings to remotely gather environment data," it added.

TALA was supposed to be launched in 2020 but it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, the TALA team and PhilSA began working together to refuel the launch. 

The TALA team is composed of five students, namely Christian Lawrence Cantos, John Harold Abarquez, Joshua Pardoria, Joefer Emmanuel Capangpangan, and Dorothy Mae Daffon, and their mentors Almida Plarisan and Wilfredo Pardoria Jr. —Sherylin Untalan/KBK, GMA Integrated News