MANILA, Philippines — Diwata-1, the Philippines’ first microsatellite, ended its Earth observation mission after four years in space, the government said.
Diwata-1 was designed to operate for only 18 months but it outlived its design life and continued capturing satellite images.
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The first satellite built and designed by Filipinos was last seen at an altitude of approximately 114 kilometers, which is very close to the widely accepted boundary between the outer space and the Earth’s atmosphere, early Monday morning.
“It is expected that beyond this altitude, the chances of successfully establishing contact with Diwata-1 are extremely low,” Department of Science and Technology’s Sustained Support for Local Space Technology and Applications Mastery, Innovation and Advancement (STAMINA4Space) said in a Facebook post Monday night.
“This, therefore, marks the official end of the mission lifetime of Diwata-1,” it added.
Diwata-1 was launched to the International Space Station on March 23, 2016 and was released into orbit on April 27, 2016.
During its four-year space journey, the microsatellite captured 45,572 images—17,271 of which are images of the Philippines. Satellite data can be used in the monitoring of atmosphere, marine environment, land, and climate change.
“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. We shall build upon your legacy as we continue to explore new frontiers and forge ahead with the future of the Philippine space program,” STAMINA4Space said.