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SATELLITE ORBITS

We've mentioned in our previous article that Diwata-1 took an ISS orbit while Diwata-2 will be launched to a Sun-synchronous orbit. We've also mentioned that Agila-1 and Agila-2 were previously positioned to a certain degree of orbital slot.  But what are these things called orbit? Do I need to know these things? Why should I care? Orbit is the path followed by a satellite. You are probably aware that the moon orbits the Earth -- and moon is a natural satellite! There are several types of orbits, and each has their pros and cons. Let us take a look at some of the most common satellite orbits. Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Satellites in this orbit resides from 180 km to 3000 km from the Earth's surface. Due to its closeness to the surface, this orbit is easily accessible and launch opportunities are common, keeping the launch cost low. This orbit is popular for remote sensing applications since small and relatively less powerful cameras can work well from this dist...
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PHL-MICROSAT PROGRAM, DIWATA-1 and DIWATA-2

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This blog will not be complete without mentioning the country's initial foray to space through the PHL-Microsat Program. The PHL-Microsat Program The PHL-Microsat Program is a R&D program supported by the Philippine's Department of Science and Technology (DOST). It started on 2015, with an aim to develop, launch and effectively utilize the country's first microsatellites, Diwata-1 and Diwata-2, and lay the foundation for a sustainable space science and technology ecosystem in the country. The program is composed of five component project with focus on: Project 1 - Development of the microsatellites Project 2 - Development and operations of the ground receiving station for Diwata-1 and Diwata-2 Project 3 - Data processing, archiving and distribution Project 4 - Calibration and validation of remote sensing instruments Project 5 - Development of remote sensing data products Diwata-1 Diwata-1 , the country's first microsatellite is a ...
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AGILA-2: PH's SECOND SATELLITE

Just a year after acquiring Agila-1 , the Philippines acquired its second satellite, Agila-2. However, compared with Agila-1, Agila-2 is designed for a Philippine company and is not acquired while already in orbit. Agila-2 is a telecommunications satellite built by Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) for Mabuhay Satellite Corporation. It was launched to space from Xichang Satellite Launch Center via the Chang Zheng 3B rocket on August 19, 1997 (17:50 UTC) and was positioned at the 146°E longitude orbital slot. The mass varies from sources, but according to Gunter's Space, its launch mass is 3775 kg while its dry mass is 1800 kg (Wikipedia reports 2,820 kg launch mass). Agila-2 is claimed to be the most powerful telecommunications satellite in the entire Asia-Pacific region, and one of the most efficient in the industry. It carries 24 C-band, 24 Ku-band, and 6 extended C-band transponders, making it the satellite with the largest number of active transponders compared to any oth...
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