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Multispectral Unit for Land Assessment (MULA) Satellite. PBBM unveiled this project in his SONA2026. It is the flagship Earth observation satellite developed under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA), in partnership with UP Diliman, DOST-ASTI, and British firm Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL). At 130 to 150 kg, MULA is the largest commercial-grade satellite designed by Filipino engineers to date, representing a major leap forward from earlier microsatellites like Diwata-1, Diwata-2, and the Maya Cubestats. What Makes the MULA Satellite Unique? Unlike smaller experimental microsatellites, MULA is an industrial and commercial-grade operational satellite. 1. High-Resolution Multispectral Imaging: Features a TrueColour camera capable of 5-meter resolution images across 9 spectral bands with a wide 120 km swath width. It can capture up to 100,000+ km² of land area daily. 2. Active Propulsion System: Includes onboard jet propulsion for orbital maneuvers and station-keeping, extending its planned lifespan to 5 to 7 years in Sun-Synchronous Low Earth Orbit. 3. Maritime & Aviation Tracking: Equipped with AIS (Automatic Identification System) to track ships and ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast) to monitor aircraft in real time across Philippine territory and coastal waters. Strategic Importance for Cagayan & Regional Agriculture While MULA itself will orbit Earth at an altitude of ~500 km and be launched via a contracted commercial rocket (SpaceX Falcon 9), its data is central to major DOST initiatives deployed across Cagayan Valley (Region II): 1. Smart Agriculture (SARAi & ICMF): Cagayan is one of the nation's key agricultural hubs. DOST Region 02 utilizes multispectral Earth observation data through programs like SARAi (Smarter Approaches to Reinvigorate Agriculture as an Industry) and the Integrated Crop Monitoring and Forecasting (ICMF) framework to evaluate crop health, vegetation indices, water balance, and yield predictions. 2. Flood & Typhoon Monitoring: Cagayan's vulnerability to severe flooding (along the Cagayan River Basin) makes rapid satellite assessment critical. Multispectral imaging allows DOST to map flood extent, assess land cover change, and support disaster response via systems like DATOS (Remote Sensing & Data Science Help Desk). 3. Geospatial Analytics (GATES): Local government units (LGUs) in Cagayan leverage satellite-derived spatial datasets for urban planning, land use management, and environmental monitoring. ***MULA satellite structure and operational applications. Source: Philippine Space Agency #pbbmgoodnews #MULA #PhilippineSatellite