HANOI, Vietnam — VinSpace has signed a contract with SpaceX to send its first satellites into orbit in 2027, an agreement that supports the Vietnamese company’s plan to develop capabilities across the space industry.

The satellites will travel aboard one of SpaceX’s Transporter rideshare missions, which carry payloads from several customers on the same launch. VinSpace did not disclose the number of satellites covered by the contract or the financial terms of the agreement.

VinSpace will handle the research, development and manufacturing of the satellites, along with their operation once they reach orbit. The missions will test technologies developed by the company and help build its experience in satellite engineering.

The agreement follows VinSpace’s announcement in April that it planned to develop and launch its first satellites in 2027. The company views the initial missions as a foundation for future commercial services based on satellite technology and data.

VinSpace CEO Thu Vu said reliable access to orbit was necessary to turn satellite research into working missions.

“This contract with SpaceX is an important milestone in VinSpace’s long-term strategy to help build Vietnam’s space ecosystem and strengthen the country’s position within the global space economy,” Vu said.

The company expects the satellite program to support technology testing in orbit, the training of Vietnamese aerospace professionals and cooperation with international partners. It also plans to use the missions to prepare technologies for commercial applications in Vietnam, Southeast Asia and other markets.

VinSpace aims to operate across the space industry instead of concentrating on a single part of the business. Its plans cover satellite design and manufacturing, assembly, integration and testing, launch management, satellite operations and services based on space data.

The company is also developing capabilities in ground infrastructure, satellite connectivity and geospatial intelligence. Potential applications include infrastructure monitoring, energy, environmental management, logistics and smart-city services.

VinSpace is part of the Vingroup ecosystem, which also includes Vietnamese electric vehicle manufacturer VinFast. The SpaceX agreement gives the aerospace company a launch provider as it works toward its first missions and builds a broader commercial space business.

Philippine motorcycle sales reached 939,528 units in the first half of 2026 as a strong opening quarter offset weaker demand from April to June.

Data from the Motorcycle Development Program Participants Association showed sales rose 3.58 percent from 907,054 units during the same period last year.

The industry sold 496,868 motorcycles in the first quarter, up 11.6 percent year on year. Second-quarter volume fell 4.2 percent to 442,660 units from 462,007 units, although the earlier gains kept the six-month total in positive territory.

Automatic motorcycles remained the largest segment with 655,004 units sold. Their ease of use, fuel efficiency and suitability for daily commuting continued to attract Filipino riders.

Business motorcycles ranked second with 148,989 units. Demand from delivery services, small businesses and other income-generating activities helped sustain the segment.

Mopeds recorded 107,632 units, followed by street motorcycles with 24,346 units. Big-bike sales reached 2,994 units, while other categories accounted for 563 units.

MDPPA president Erwin D. Estrada said the first-half performance showed the resilience of the local motorcycle industry despite tougher market conditions and a high comparison base from 2025.

He added that buyers continue to recognize motorcycles as affordable and dependable transportation for work, business and everyday travel.

Industry analysts expect long-term sales growth to continue as demand for cost-efficient mobility remains strong. MDPPA represents Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha in the Philippines.

The United Nations has adopted the first global regulations for fully autonomous vehicles, setting uniform safety requirements that could support wider deployment of self-driving cars across major markets.

The rules were adopted Wednesday in Geneva by the World Forum for Harmonisation of Vehicle Regulations under the UN Economic Commission for Europe. The framework covers vehicles equipped with fully autonomous driving systems, or ADS, but does not cover assisted driving features.

The move comes as robotaxi services expand in China and the United States, where private fleets more than doubled in 2025 to 8,000 vehicles across more than two dozen major cities. The International Energy Agency expects 700,000 to three million robotaxis to operate in 40 to 80 major cities by 2035.

UNECE said the framework aims to build trust among governments, manufacturers and the public by requiring automated systems to meet strict safety standards. Richard Damm, chair of the UNECE Working Party on Automated/Autonomous and Connected Vehicles, called the adoption a major step for future road technology.

Under the new framework, manufacturers must show that testing meets strict credibility standards. They must also maintain audited safety governance throughout the ADS lifecycle, provide evidence that their systems pose no unreasonable risk, and monitor performance continuously.

Vehicles covered by the rules must also record and store safety-relevant ADS data.

UNECE said the framework was backed by major auto markets, including the United States, China, the European Union, Japan and Britain. Officials expect the rules to enter into force in January 2027, with some manufacturers already preparing for compliance.

The rules were adopted through two separate international agreements. More than half of the 62 parties to a 1958 agreement voted unanimously to implement the regulations, allowing autonomous vehicles produced in one member country to be sold in others without further controls.

The United States, Canada and China, which are not part of that agreement, joined 10 other countries in adding the same rules to a 1998 agreement. That agreement does not provide automatic mutual recognition between countries.

Damm said bringing major markets into the framework did not weaken the safety requirements.

“This regulation is not a compromise on safety,” he said.