THE P800-million Philippines Scientific Earth Observation Microsatellite (PHL-Microsat) Program that aimed at launching Filipino-made satellites in space had already launched its microsatellites in space: Diwata-1, a microsatellite that fits a balikbayan box, and Maya-1, a cube satellite that fits the palm of a hand.
As Diwata-2 is set to be launched on October 29 between 12:08 and 12:20 noon Philippine time, here are some details of the three microsatellites in the PHL-Microsat program.
Diwata-1
• Weight: 53-kg microsatellite
• Dimensions: length of 35 cm, width of 55 cm and height of 35 cm
• Lifespan: It has surpassed its supposed 18-month lifespan. It is now orbiting the Earth for more than 30 months already.
• Highlighted feature: Spaceborne Multispectral Imager with Liquid Crystal Tunable Filter (SMI with LCTF). This payload can be tuned to the desired frequency the agency wants to use, and could determine the issues concerning a specific land or sea area of the country through spectral signature.
• Other features: High Precision Telescope, Middle Field Camera, Wide Field Camera
• Launch: March 23, 2016, via Atlas V Rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral in Florida, United States, and was released from the International Space Station (ISS) to orbit through the Kibo module on April 27, 2016.
• Use: Earth-observation, disaster response and management, and environmental and natural resource assessment
• Location: 404 km altitude above the Earth (Low-Earth Observation)
• Achievements: taking 14,492 images of the Philippines which is equivalent to 32 percent of the country’s total land cover.
Maya-1
• Weight: 1-kg cube nanosatellite
• Dimensions: length of 10 cm, width of 10 cm and height of 10 cm
• Highlighted feature: Automatic Packet Reporting System Message Digipeater. This payload is a two-way radio that one can send emergency text messages without relying on terrestrial communication such as cellular sites.
• Other feature: Global Positioning System, Magnetic Field sensors
• Launch: June 29, 2018, and was released to orbit on August 10, 2018, via SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral in Florida, United States.
• Use: Technology demonstration for remote data collection, image and video capture, detection of an electric circuit anomaly, messaging and magnetic field measurement in space
• Location: 404 km altitude above the Earth (Low-Earth Observation)
Diwata-2
• Weight: 50-kilogram microsatellite
• Dimensions: length of 50 cm, width of 50 cm and height of 30 cm
• Lifespan: 5 years
• Features: Its camera has an enhanced resolution that will be capturing sharper images. It has deployable solar panels that look like wings instead of solar panels attached to the sides like that of Diwata-1. An experimental sun sensor was also attached, making it sun-synchronous and also, an amateur radio messaging system. It will have fixed visit intervals and can visit the same spot on Earth every 16 days.
• Launch: October 29, 2018, at the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan onboard H-11A F40 Rocket.
• Use: Earth-observation, disaster response and management, and environmental and natural resource assessment
• Location: 620 km altitude above the Earth (wider coverage)
Image credits: Lyn Resurreccion, JAXA/NASA, PHL-Microsat