From the auspices of China View, we learn from Anne Tang that Vietnam's Ministry of Information and Communication expects to launch the second satellite in 2012, the local newspaper Vietnam Investment Review reported Monday. The state-owned Vietnam Post and Telecommunication (VNPT) is the investor of the project of the second satellite, named Vinasat-2, with a total investment of about US$350 million.

VNPT is considering whether it will launch the satellite by itself or hire other company to do it, said the newspaper. The second satellite project is to develop satellite facility of Vietnam to meet the growing demand of satellite-based information. Vietnam's first satellite — Vinasat-1 — was launched last year, with a total investment of $US300 million. The Vinasat-1 is currently working at 70 percent of its capacity and is expected to work at 100 percent of capacity in 2010 and regain its investment within a nine year timeframe.