FlipFact (October 1, 2019): What Diwata-1, the Philippines’ first microsatellite, has been doing in space

FlipFact of the Day: Diwata-1 has taken thousands of images from space, all of which are free and accessible to the public.

Diwata-1 was the first Pinoy-made microsatellite sent into space via the Philippine Scientific Earth Observation Micro-Satellite (now known as STAMINA4Space) Program of the Department of Science and Technology, in collaboration with the University of the Philippines Diliman and Japan’s Tohoku University and Hokkaido University.

To boost research and knowledge exchange, photos taken by Diwata-1 can be accessed through www.phl-microsat.upd.edu.ph following registration procedures. According to DOST-ASTI, access will remain free “under certain conditions” and as long as it has “continuous support from the government.” Selling the photos is strictly prohibited, but practically anyone can visit the site to view and use these photos for non-commercial purposes.

Today’s Science History Milestone: On October 1, 1964, Japan’s now-famous bullet trains (“shinkansen”) began operations, offering high-speed travel from Tokyo to Osaka.

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Cover image: Wikimedia Commons

References

• https://www.flipscience.ph/space/10-things-need-know-diwata-1-project/

Author: Mikael Angelo Francisco

Bitten by the science writing bug, Mikael has years of writing and editorial experience under his belt. As the editor-in-chief of FlipScience, Mikael has sworn to help make science more fun and interesting for geeky readers and casual audiences alike.

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