Researchers from the STAMINA4Space Program and PhilSA assessed the effects of orbital shift on the Diwata-2 microsatellite’s operation They researched on the effects of orbital drift on the current issues that are affecting the operations of the satellite such as satellite communications and image quality. Using five simulations involving the determination of the limits of acceptable passes, culmination events over the Philippines, the shift in time of the passes, and the changes to the satellite’s temporal resolution, it was found out that the satellite passes have shifted by over an hour from its design at launch. The rate of its nodal precession has increased, resulting in later passes.

This paper was presented at the 2021 IEEE International Conference on Aerospace Electronics and Remote Sensing Technology (ICARES).