Diwata-1 To Take First Step To Outer Space On January 13

Diwata-1, the Philippines’ own microsatellite, will take the first step towards its journey to the outer space on Wednesday.

On that day, representatives from the Philippine Department of Science and Technology (DOST) will turnover Diwata-1 to Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

The DOST is requesting JAXA to release Diwata-1 at a time when the ISS is at the highest altitude (between March 21 to April 30).

“By April, our satellite will be on its own, orbiting the space,” said Carlos Primo David, DOST-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research Division (PCIEERD) executive director, in a press conference.

According to PCIEERD, the space launch will happen either from California or Florida, and the ground station receiver will be completed in May.

Among the agency’s priorities this year include remote sensing and space technologies.

Seven DOST-funded Filipino engineering students were sent to Japan last year to undergo an extensive course about microsatellite. The team had almost a year to finish the assembly and testing of Diwata-1.

It passed the component tests, first vibration test, post-vibration electrical tests, off-gas test and fit checking according to PCIEERD. Moreover, there is a continuous functionality tests of modules and sensors and software optimization.

David cited that Diwata-1 has four cameras that would continuously take pictures of our country. These images will be used for research and in remote sensing.

Remote sensing “is a necessary technology for monitoring weather, disasters, as well as environmental issues” as described by Kohei Cho, Asian Association on Remote Sensing (AARS) general secretary.

In a previous interview with the Philippines News Agency, Cho noted that every country and every continent worldwide needs remote sensing, since environment, for instance, has no boundaries. He added that a country needs remote sensing to have good cooperation with the international framework.

”It has been proven to be capable of monitoring El Nino, too,” said Enrico Paringit during the 36th Asian Conference on Remote Sensing (ACRS) held in the country last year. Paringit, 36th ACRS local chair, cited that the technologies in remote sensing include satellite with high resolution camera, and sensors mapping flooding areas.

“The pictures that will be taken by Diwata-1 can also be used for tourism, as we could pick an image of the day and share it with you,” said David.

Included in the government’s budget is providing a good microsatellite data storage facility in Subic.

Meanwhile, David said Diwata-1 weighs 50 kg and is about the size of a ‘balikbayan box”. Its lifespan is 18 months. “After that, our second satellite will be up,” he cited. (PNA) BNB/MCCA