DIWATA-1’s telescope captures high-resolution ground images

The Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD) revealed yesterday that one of the four cameras onboard DIWATA-1, the first Philippine-designed and built microsatellite, successfully captured high-resolution (high-res) ground images of the Philippines as viewed from space during its satellite’s test phase.

In a report obtained by the Manila Bulletin, the DOST-PCIEERD said the images captured by High Precision Telescope (HPT) successfully captured image of the Philippine grounds which “have the highest resolution attained by a microsatellite.”

“The camera is able to capture images with a ground resolution of 3m at nadir (or lowest point) which is the highest resolution attained by a microsatellite in the 50-kg class,” read part of the report.

The report was disclosed by the Advanced Science and Technology Institute (DOST-ASTI) and the University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD), the two institutions which have been collaborating with Japan’s Hokkaido and Tohoku Universities for the operation of DIWATA-1.