The Philippine-developed Diwata-2 microsatellite is defying expectations, marking its sixth year in orbit since its 2018 launch—outlasting its projected 5-year lifespan.
The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) proudly announced the milestone, highlighting Diwata-2’s continued role in supporting the country’s agricultural management, environmental monitoring, and disaster response.
WANT TO SEE THE WORLD through Diwata’s eyes? Explore these breathtaking images here.
“Diwata-2 exceeds lifespan, now on its 6th year of operation,” the National Space Agency of the Philippines reported on its website and social media on October 29, 2024, the same day it was launched in 2018.
Check out the Philippine Space Agency’s announcement of Diwata-2 marking its 6th year in outer space exploration:
Through its high-precision telescope and cameras, the microsatellite continues to gather essential images and data for the agriculture sector, as well as for monitoring and responding to natural disasters.
“It continues to capture satellite imagery of the Philippines which is used for environmental assessment, agricultural management, and post-disaster monitoring. Through the Sentinel Asia network, Diwata-2 provides satellite imagery of affected areas during calamities to neighboring countries for disaster response,” the PhilSA added.
CURIOUS about how Diwata-2 was designed and launched? Check it out here.
Moreover, the space agency highlighted Diwata-2’s capacity to transmit messages and provide service to radio enthusiasts worldwide through its amateur radio unit (ARU).
Diwata-2 was developed by Filipino researchers from the University of the Philippines Diliman and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-Advanced Science and Technology Institute, in collaboration with Tohoku University and Hokkaido University in Japan under the PHL-Microsat Program.
The microsat was launched directly into orbit on October 29, 2018, via the H-IIA F40 rocket from Tanegashima Space Center.
LOOK BACK at Diwata 2 PHL Microsat launch from Japan viewed live on YouTube
It could be recalled that Diwata-1, the Philippines’ first microsatellite, was launched in March 2016 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, USA, released into orbit in April 2017, and returned to Earth in April 2020.
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