Philippines’ first satellite Diwata-1 returns to Earth

The Philippines' first microsatellite, Diwata-1, has finally returned to Earth after a four-year journey into space.

According to the Space Technology and Applications Mastery, Innovation and Advancement (STAMINA4Space) of the University of the Philippines on Monday, Diwata-1 entered into the decommissioning stage on March 23 as its altitude continued to drop.

“We confirm today, 6 April 2020 at 04:49 a.m. Philippine Standard Time (PST), Diwata-1 was at an altitude of approximately 114km based on telemetry data received from the satellite,” STAMINA4Space announced on its Facebook page.

“This altitude is very close to the Karman line, or the widely accepted boundary between outer space and the Earth’s atmosphere. It is expected that beyond this altitude, the chances of successfully establishing contact with Diwata-1 are extremely low.”

“This, therefore, marks the official end of the mission lifetime of Diwata-1,” it added.

With this, the 50-kg Filipino-made microsatellite exceeded its initial slated lifespan of 18 months.

Diwata-1 was launched to the International Space Station on March 23, 2016 via Atlas-V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida and released into orbit by British astronaut Tim Peake on April 27, 2017.

“Welcome back, home! You will always be remembered for opening the horizons of space to the Philippines. You have, in many ways, exceeded our expectations in your four years of service,” STAMINA4Space said of Diwata-1.

“We shall build upon your legacy as we continue to explore new frontiers and forge ahead with the future of the Philippine space program,” it added.

Diwata-1 has covered 114,087 sq km of the Philippines’ land, roughly 38 percent. It also orbited approximately 22,643 times around the Earth and passed by the country roughly 4,800 times, STAMINA4Space said.

It has also captured more than 17,000 images of the Earth, majority over the Philippines, providing “impact on various sectors such as agriculture, environment, natural disaster management, and urban planning,”

Built by Filipino engineers and scientists from the UP-Diliman in collaboration with Japan's Tohoku University and Hokkaido University, Diwata-1 is the country’s first microsatellite for scientific earth observation. It was also supported by the DOST. — Ma. Angelica Garcia/BM, GMA News