A next-generation satellite is currently being built under the Advanced Satellite for the Philippines (ASP) project of the STAMINA4Space Program set to be launched in 2023, the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) announced.
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) said that this is a priority agenda under the emerging technologies sector of providing space technology applications to public services.
The ASP project funded by DOST and implemented by the University of the Philippines and the DOST-Advanced Science and Technology Institute in coordination with PhilSA is partnering with Surrey Space Technology Ltd (SSTL) for the design and manufacture of a multispectral satellite capable of imaging an approximate area of 100,000 km2 of the country daily.
SSTL is a leader in developing commercial-grade earth observation satellites as well as delivering a Know-How Transfer and Training (KHTT) program that can aid in our capacity building efforts.
DOST said that the Phase 1 of the activity commenced with the remote delivery of the Satellite System Design course by the University of Surrey attended by a pool of 30 Filipino Engineers.
Another set of courses and lectures on systems engineering will be delivered by the SSTL this January to further equip engineers with theoretical knowledge needed to build our next satellite. Thirteen out of the 30 engineers will then be deployed to SSTL in the UK for full immersion on the design and manufacture of our next satellite.
To provide an overview and background on the Phase 1 activity and its timeline, SSTL hosted the kick-off meeting last December attended by representatives from UP, DOST-ASTI, DOST-PCIEERD, and PhilSA.
Phase 1 will mainly focus on mission definition and satellite design, which will take into consideration the requirements of various stakeholders in the country as consulted by the ASP project in Q1 of 2020.
For Phase 2, the activity will be transitioned to and led by the PhilSA to continue on the building and launching of the satellite as well as retaining and utilizing the know-how gained through this collaboration to essentially improve our local satellite development capabilities, both in turnout time and reliability.
"The ASP project continues to build on the capabilities developed from the Diwata-1 and Diwata-2. This commercial-grade satellite with SSTL will provide timely high-resolution images of the Philippines, from which actionable insights can be made to aid decision-making in agriculture, disaster management, national security, and coastal monitoring and ocean studies, DOST said.