Is 2015 The Year We Send The First Filipino Astronaut in Space?

With China's successful robotic lunar landing last year and its plan to send the first Chinese on the Moon, and India's first interplanetary mission putting a satellite into Mars' orbit, is it time for the first Filipino astronaut or "Filipinaut" to fly in space?

Chino Roque, the Filipino selected in the AXE Apollo Space Academy from contestants from 60 countries around the world, has been training since last year in rigid "space-simulation challenges."  He is one of the successful trainees from these countries to fly in space. Space.com reported last year that "the first passenger flights could begin in 2014."

However, it is now 2015 and no report has been heard whether the first flight has already launched. Still, we are still hopeful that finally a Filipino can rightfully say that he conquered space. We will be reporting it here if that momentous event has indeed come to pass.

Photo: Rappler.com