Phl satellite project scientists leave for Japan

MANILA, Philippines - Sixteen engineers and scientists from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and UP Diliman will soon leave for Japan and start their studies and training alongside experts from Hokkaido University for an effort to design, develop, and launch the country’s very own micro-satellite into space as early as 2016.

“In a couple of weeks, we have 16 engineers and scientists going to Japan,” DOST Secretary Mario Montejo told the STAR in an interview at the just concluded National Science and Technology Week last week held at the SMX Convention Center.

Montejo said that the group of 16 scientists and engineers will start their training and education in the design and development of mini or micro-satellites.

“They are mostly from UP (Diliman),” Montejo said.

It will be recalled that the DOST’s Project NOAH (Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards), and their DREAM (Disaster Risk Exposure Assessment for Mitigation (DREAM) Project tapped UP Diliman meteorologists and engineers to develop and build the weather modelling and cutting-edge LiDAR (light ranging and detection) technology systems.

Montejo earlier said the the premier Japanese higher educational institution has already accepted the DOST’s proposal for a partnership for the country’s move to build the capability to develop and assemble on its own a micro-satellite and launch it into space in two or three years. The program to build a micro-satellite, Montejo said was mainly a levelling up of the DOST’s multi-hazard modelling and map-making capability to identify flood, storm surge, landslide and other hazard areas in the country pursued under their Projects NOAH and DREAM.

He said that with the LiDAR mapping technology, DOST now wants to establish one remote ground sensor that will help in the information gathering for the LiDAR mapping effort.

The micro-satellite, he said, would be a key part in this whole program since it will course information orbiting in the skies over the country onto the remote ground sensor.

However, Montejo said that there were expected surprise uses in the Philippines’ having a micro-satellite of its own serving as its “eye in the sky.”