A significant fraction of captured satellite images are not usable for certain applications due to high cloud cover percentage. To address this problem, cloud detection and dynamic attitude correction algorithms are often used in tandem in order to increase the likelihood of capturing cloud-free images. Researchers from the STAMINA4Space Program and PhilSA developed MATA-Cloud, a software for evaluating the effectiveness of cloud detection and dynamic attitude correction algorithms for earth observation satellites. MATA-Cloud explores two key experiments. First is evaluating different image processing and machine learning-based approaches to detect cloud cover. The second is exploring dynamic attitude correction to minimize the effect of cloud cover on captured images. The cloud detection algorithms were evaluated based on their accuracy, latency, and memory consumption. The results show that Otsu, a traditional thresholding algorithm for image segmentation is the fastest at cloud detection. On the other hand, deep learning models are more accurate and adaptable to different datasets. MATA-Cloud was also demonstrated to be an effective testbed for evaluating dynamic attitude correction algorithms. The paper was presented at the 35th Small Satellite Conference.

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).

During their stay at the Tohoku University, Diwata-2 engineers Engr. Edgar Paolo Violan and Dr. Julie Ann Banatao, collaborated with the members of the university’s Space Robotics Laboratory (composed of Yuji Sato, Yuji Sakamoto, Shinya Fujita, Toshinori Kuwahara, and Kazuya Yoshida) to research on the development of an operating strategy for on-demand Earth Observation missions of the Diwata-2 microsatellite. This paper presented the initial observation performance of the Diwata-2 satellite, investigation of its Attitude Determination and Control Subsystem (ADCS), the tuning of its Star Tracker sensors, the in-flight target pointing calibration, and the sequential scheduling of its components forming an operation strategy for successful on-demand earth observation mission. This research paper won first place at the Student Poster Competition presented by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) in the 35th Small Satellite Conference.