A Fairy is Finally Circling Our Planet, Courtesy of the Philippines!

     European Space Agency's (ESA) Astronaut Tim Peake deployed the Philippine's first ever micro satellite - Diwata-1 - into orbit around Earth from the International Space Station, carrying with it the dream of the entire nation to be a space capable nation.

     Diwata-1 first made noise around the social media last month when it was launched aboard the Falcon 9 rocket into the International Space Station. However, it was only yesterday when it is finally deployed from the ISS to orbit around the Earth. The goal of the satellite is to monitor the areas devastated by climate change, thus potentially saving thousands of life. 

     Diwata means "Fairy" in English and is first constructed way back in 2014, under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). It is a joint collaboration between the University of the Philippines, Tohoku University, and Hokkaido University.

      The launching and deployment of the Diwata-1 satellite paved way for the Philippines to establish a National Space Agency which will be the doorstep to permanent space program that would benefit the entire country.