The Satellite Control and Operation Station in Ha Noi's Que Duong Village. The nation has now mastered small satellite technology. — VNA/VNS Photo Minh Tu
With VNREDSat-1, Vietnam can now independently process images of all regions belonging to the country's territory, he said. Deputy PM Nhan was speaking at a ceremony at which the control of the satellite was handed over to the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST). Astrium SAS, an affiliate of the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company, was at the ceremony to sign off on the new space hardware.
VNREDSat-1 was sent into orbit on May 7 from a launch pad in Kourou, French Guiana. Four months since its launch, the satellite is now under stable operation, said Dr. Bui Trong Tuyen, deputy director of the Institute of Space Technology and head of the Small Satellite Project Management Unit. Nhan congratulated the VAST staff and scientists and their French partners on the successful launch of the satellite last May, saying that it has marked Vietnnam's entry in space.
As at September 1st, the new satellite snapped and recorded just over 9,000 images, of which nearly1,000 were of Vietnamese territory, he said. In order to become expert operators in the management of the satellite, 15 engineers from VAST left for France in 2011 to complete a specialized training course.
Designed by Astrium SAS, the satellite is capable of capturing images from all around the world. The resource will assist emergency services during flooding, forest fires, oil overflow or other serious incidents.
The majority of the funding was provided by the French government's Official Development Assistance with EUR55.8 million (US$73.5 million), while Vietnam contributed nearly VND65 billion (around US$3.2 million) to the high-tech project.
Following fast on the success of two telecommunications satellites—Vinasat 1 in 2008 and Vinasat 2 in 2012 and now VNREDSat-1—a fourth "made-in-Vietnam" micro satellite, Pico Dragon, was shipped to the International Space Station on August 4 in preparation for a mission in space. (Source: Vietnam News)