Tue, 01 Jul 2025 Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) was pleased to welcome a delegation from the Government of the Philippines this week, comprising representatives from the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) and the Senate of the Philippines. The purpose of the visit was to review progress on the MULA satellite – the Multispectral Unit for Land Assessment – which SSTL has been developing in close partnership with PhilSA and a dedicated team of 16 customer engineers since 2023.



Delegates included:
From the Philippine Space Agency:

• Dr. Marc Caesar R. Talampas, Director, Space Technology Missions and Systems Bureau
• Jayson A. Aguila, Planning Officer, Planning and Project Management Division

From the Senate of the Philippines:

• Victoria C. Francia, Deputy Director General, Legislative Budget Research and Monitoring Office (LBRMO)
• Xandra Yvette Z. Villanueva, Supervising Legislative Staff Officer, LBRMO
• Mary Janeny R. Cristino, Supervising Legislative Staff Officer

The delegation was hosted by SSTL’s executive team, alongside Alex De Silva and Ellis Elliott, Project Manager for MULA. The visit began with an overview presentation of SSTL’s 40-year journey – from its roots at the University of Surrey to its current operations across two sites in Guildford and Bordon. This introduction provided context on the company’s academic origins and its pioneering role in the development of small satellite missions.



During their time at SSTL, the visitors toured the Tycho and Kepler buildings in Guildford, gaining insight into the full lifecycle of satellite development, from bidding and design through to integration and environmental testing. At the Bordon site, the team was shown key structural elements of the MULA satellite, including metalwork and composite components being prepared for assembly.



Crucially, the delegation had the opportunity to witness first-hand the progress and training of the 16 young Philippine engineers currently working alongside SSTL staff in the UK. Since arriving in December 2023, the engineers have been actively involved in the MULA project, contributing to mission delivery and gaining vital experience in satellite engineering and systems integration.



To round off the visit, the delegation toured the Surrey Space Centre, reconnecting with SSTL’s academic roots and deepening their understanding of the collaborative research and educational environment that continues to underpin the company’s innovation.



This visit underscores the strength of the UK-Philippines partnership and our shared commitment to developing sovereign space capabilities and nurturing the next generation of satellite engineers.