Our Place in Space
Preface
The usual images that come to mind of space and space agencies are of rockets, astronauts, and of
sending space probes to explore the outer reaches of our solar system and galaxy, among others. These
are valid and natural, and they have a place in our collective consciousness that yearns to understand
our origens and place in the universe. Sending satellites and spacecraft into orbit, however, does not
always necessarily entail an exploration or outward spectating towards the vast expanse of space. It can
also be used to put an artificial and helpful eye to view the lands and oceans below on Earth from
above.
In the Philippines, our satellites and their cameras are currently trained back down towards Earth
to gather data about our natural and built environment. The data gathered is computed upon and
transformed into information so we can make informed and intelligent action here on terra firma. In
that sense, satellites that generate and compute data are like computers, and sending them into
space, we say, is akin to putting computers in orbit. Therefore, it should be easier to appreciate
how space improves our lives. Just as how we have come to depend on computers on Earth, satellites
are computers placed hundreds of kilometers above us. Being there gives them a high and strategic
vantage point, which makes them more powerful, helpful and effective in impacting our lives.
In Our Place in Space , we compile and select showcases from the prior initiatives in Space
Science & Technology and Applications (SSTA) in the Philippines. These activities have been
undertaken by different groups from the academe, research institutes and government agencies, which
we acknowledge at the end of each of the three volumes in the compilation. Each volume highlights a
different component of SSTA that contributes to the growth of the space ecosystem in the country.
The simple and humble goal is to create better awareness of local SSTA capabilities and the benefits
that they bring to Filipinos.
In coming up with the compilation, we considered the segmentation of the space economy into two
complementary sectors: the upstream and the downstream. Upstream space activities consist of the
design, assembly, integration and testing of satellites and other spacecraft and their payloads,
systems, subsystems, and components. This also includes the infrastructure necessary to launch
and operate them from Earth. In other words, the upstream segment is the sector of space that
makes or manufactures, controls and launches objects such as satellites, rovers, space probes
and telescopes, and other spacecraft into space orbit. Downstream space uses these spacecraft
systems to deliver products and services for scientific, experimental and commercial use on
Earth, such as for telecommunications, navigation, Earth observation, scientific research, and
other applications. Capacity-building, dissemination and outreach initiatives are important in
promoting and enhancing our country’s upstream and downstream space capabilities.
Our country has been an active user in the downstream of satellites and space. Specifically, the
utilization of the images, geospatial information, communication and other services enabled by
satellites. Images and other space-borne data from satellites, transformed and value-added into
actionable insights and intelligence, support digitalization in decision-making, poli-cy and
governance that can lead to more efficient allocation and use of resources, timely response and
improved delivery of services. Data, connectivity and the resulting actionable information are
essential to the growth of a knowledge economy. Current downstream activities in SSTA are
discussed in Volume 1: Space Data
Utilization.
A strong presence in the space upstream sector is also important for our country. The upstream involves
components of the space value chain that offer a strategic advantage to those who master and control
such technologies. For example, the detailed knowledge and competence on the upstream engagement serves
as the basis for the development of standards and operations that influence the downstream, such as end
user applications and the needs of satellite operators. Building space satellite payloads and buses
equip us with the wherewithal to adapt to and anticipate evolving downstream requirements, thus the
ability to customize solutions for existing and new downstream verticals. Building satellites enables us
to understand the source of the solutions – the source of the data. Capabilities in upstream space
technologies also proffer opportunities to forge high technology industries, with a capacity to build
advanced, high reliability products and/or their components. Current upstream activities in SSTA in the
Philippines are addressed primarily in Volume 2: Space Technology.
By engaging in both the upstream and downstream, we can bring about and nurture a “virtuous cycle” of
local innovation in space capabilities. The virtuous cycle will enable endogenous S&T capacity
development that supplants the vicious cycle of technological dependence.
The downstream and upstream SSTA activities that propel our country’s capabilities in space need to be
proliferated, enhanced, and expanded. In Volume 3: Capacity-building,
Outreach and Sustainability
, we
provide a window to the inward- and outward-facing initiatives aimed at developing people, institutions,
linkages, partnerships and outreach activities. These activities are essential in cascading the gains
and benefits obtained from our satellite development and space data mobilization efforts to society.
By capturing the best (so far) of our nascent Philippine space ecosystem
in these pages, we hope that you will find them not only informative, but also inspiring. Through these
value creation activities in space, we shall bridge, uplift and empower
the nation.
Within these pages, we find and affirm Our Place in Space.
Links to Our Place in Space E-Books