Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL) has signed an agreement with the Philippines’ Department of Science and Technology-Advanced Science and Technology Institute (DOST-ASTI) to provide a share of the tasking and data acquisition services from NovaSAR-1, a 430kg S-Band radar satellite launched into a 580km sun synchronous orbit (SSO) in September 2018.
The agreement gives DOST ASTI tasking priorities over the Philippines and the ability to access the raw data directly from the satellite, with a license to use and share the data with their partners over an initial 5 year period, extendable to the actual lifespan of the satellite. DOST-ASTI will use data from NovaSAR-1 in support of a number of applications, including disaster monitoring, agricultural and forestry management, and coastal and maritime applications such as ship detection.
“The SAR imaging capability of NovaSAR-1 is a timely and powerful resource as we continue to push scientific data, computing and space technology in support of evidence-based politics and decision-making in the country” according to Dr Joel Marciano, Jr, Acting Director of DOST-ASTI.
“NovaSAR-1’s simultaneous acquisition of SAR and Automatic Identification System (AIS) data targets enhanced maritime domain awareness that is expected to lead to more effective interventions” adds Mr Alvin Retamar, Chief Science Research Specialist at DOST-ASTI.
Andrew Cawthorne, Director of Earth Observation at SSTL said “I am delighted to welcome DOST-ASTI colleagues to the NovaSAR-1 data team. I anticipate that the Philippines will benefit greatly from NovaSAR-1 data, particularly as the country has a tropical climate with frequent cloud cover, and an extensive coastline and maritime territory.”
Thanks for sharing! This could be a great help to the Philippines especially, as you mentioned, in terms of disaster monitoring since the country is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire and a lot of things happen here.