Hybrid Philippine-made rocket Tala lifts off in Tarlac
Tala, the first high-powered hybrid rocket developed in the Philippines, lifted off at 11:57 am Saturday from Crow Valley Gunnery Range, Capas, Tarlac
. It was able to deploy its Can Satellite payload before going into fast descent and eventual deployment of its main parachute for safe landing.
The rocketry team of Tala has retrieved the rocket body and is now working on the collection and analysis of launch data to determine the rocket flight details. As a hybrid rocket, Tala used both solid fuel and liquid oxidizer, which makes handling, shipping, and storage much safer. The manufacturing cost is also lower.
The launch is made possible through the partnership of the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) with the Philippine Air Force of the Colonel Ernesto Ravina Air Base, the 710th Special Operations Wing, Air Force Research and Development Center, Air Force Systems Engineering Office, 950th Cyberspace and Electronic Warfare Wing, Air Force Public Affairs Office, and the 790th Air Base Groups.
Tala was developed in 2018 under the Young Innovators Program of the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD) by students and mentors from St. Cecilia’s College - Cebu.
It was supposed to be launched in March 2020 but had been postposed due to the pandemic. In 2022, TALA team and PhilSA began working together to refuel the launch. Philippine Space Agency
