Philippine Earth Data Resources Satellite

Philippine Earth Data Resources Satellite
Name	Philippine Earth Data Resources Satellite
Mission type	Earth observation
Operator	Philippine Space Agency
Manufacturer	University of the Philippines Diliman; DOST-ASTI
Launch date	2016 (first), 2023 (continuation)
Launch vehicle	Vega; Falcon 9
Orbit	Sun-synchronous orbit
Instrument	Multispectral imager, hyperspectral sensor, AIS receiver
Mass	~50–150 kg

Philippine Earth Data Resources Satellite is a series of Philippine low Earth orbit remote sensing satellites developed to provide imagery and geospatial data for national resource management, disaster risk reduction, and environmental monitoring. The program links Filipino research institutions with international aerospace agencies to deliver multispectral and synthetic-aperture capabilities for practitioners in agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and urban planning. The initiative has influenced policy and infrastructure across the Philippine Space Agency, Department of Science and Technology, and multiple regional offices.

Overview

The program originated from collaborations among the University of the Philippines Diliman, Department of Science and Technology, and foreign partners including Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, European Space Agency, and National Aeronautics and Space Administration. It aimed to reduce dependence on commercial providers such as Planet Labs, DigitalGlobe, and Airbus Defence and Space by creating sovereign capabilities. The satellites operate in a sun-synchronous orbit coordinated with ground stations at facilities like DOST-ASTI and university campuses, feeding data into national platforms used by National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, and municipal governments.

Development and Design

Initial design work combined expertise from Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, and Mapúa University with international mentors from Kyushu Institute of Technology, University of Surrey, and the German Aerospace Center. CubeSat and microsatellite architectures drew on lessons from CubeSat, QB50, and PHOBOS programs, while systems engineering referenced standards from ISO and Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems. Subsystem suppliers included firms from Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency supply chains, Airbus Defence and Space heritage teams, and universities with roles in attitude control, power systems, and thermal design. Project governance involved the National Economic and Development Authority and budgeting oversight by Commission on Higher Education grants and DOST R&D funds.

Payload and Instrumentation

Payload suites were tailored to national priorities: multispectral imagers for land use were influenced by designs from Landsat and Sentinel-2 missions; hyperspectral concepts referenced PRISMA and EnMAP instruments; and coastal sensors paralleled work on MODIS and VIIRS radiometers. Additional payloads included Automatic Identification System receivers echoing research at NOAA, radio-frequency monitors used by European Space Agency projects, and experimental synthetic aperture radar prototypes informed by RADARSAT and TerraSAR-X. Calibration and validation campaigns engaged field teams from Food and Agriculture Organization, United Nations Environment Programme, and local bureaus such as Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.

Launch and Mission Operations

Launches used international vehicles coordinated with partners: early missions rode with Vega and Soyuz launches while later deployments used SpaceX Falcon 9 and rideshare opportunities organized through Arianespace and Rocket Lab. Mission operations followed command-and-control practices from European Space Agency and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center workflows, with ground stations interoperating with networks like Global Educational Network for Satellite Operations and Universal Space Network. Mission planning aligned with disaster response protocols from Office of Civil Defense and Philippine National Police for rapid tasking during cyclones, earthquakes, and oil spills. Data dissemination used platforms interoperable with Open Geospatial Consortium standards and GIS systems like Esri and QGIS.

Applications and Impact

Imagery and derived products supported crop monitoring initiatives led by Department of Agriculture, mangrove mapping with Conservation International, urban heat mapping for Metro Manila Development Authority, and watershed assessments affecting National Irrigation Administration operations. Disaster response agencies such as Philippine Red Cross and National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council used rapid-mapping outputs during Typhoon Haiyan-style scenarios and seasonal flooding events. Environmental monitoring informed policies linked to Ramsar Convention wetlands and assisted World Bank-backed resilience projects. Academic research outputs appeared in journals affiliated with International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing and conferences hosted by IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society.

International Collaboration and Partnerships

The program fostered trilateral and bilateral ties with agencies including Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, European Space Agency, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Korea Aerospace Research Institute, and Australian Space Agency. Technical assistance and capacity building came from institutions like Kyushu Institute of Technology, University of Surrey, Delft University of Technology, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Funding and programmatic support involved multilateral development organizations such as the Asian Development Bank, World Bank, and United Nations Development Programme, while private-sector partnerships engaged firms like SpaceX, Airbus, Planet Labs, and regional integrators.

Category:Satellites of the Philippines