Gửi bình luận
DNO - Vietnam has officially inaugurated the Vietnam National Space Center at Ha Noi-based Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park, marking a significant milestone in the country’s efforts to advance its space technology capabilities.
Addressing the recently-held inauguration ceremony, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính described the project as an important national achievement and a symbol of Vietnam’s progress in developing satellite technology.
In particular, the center represents a shift from the stage of building technological foundations to a new phase focused on operation, application and gradually mastering space technologies.
Operating under the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, the center covers an area of about nine hectares and was built with investment exceeding VND7 trillion.
The project was financed through official development assistance (ODA) loans from the Government of Japan and is considered one of the most technologically advanced space facilities in Southeast Asia.
The complex features several key components such as an operations center, a satellite data exploitation and application center, a satellite research and development facility, and a ground system equipped with a 9.3-meter antenna.
Additional highlights of the complex include a space museum, a multimedia center, an international guesthouse, and modern facilities supporting education, research and technology transfer.
The project is also linked with the Nha Trang Observatory, further strengthening Vietnam’s research capabilities in astronomy and space science.
The Vietnam National Space Center project was designed with two primary objectives: developing infrastructure to support the transfer of satellite technologies and strengthening Vietnam’s ability to use remote-sensing data for disaster prevention, climate change response, natural resource management and environmental monitoring.
One of the key elements of the project is the development and launch of LOTUSat-1, an Earth-observation satellite equipped with synthetic aperture radar (SAR).
The satellite will be capable of capturing images of the Earth’s surface regardless of weather conditions or time of day, providing valuable data for disaster management, agriculture, environmental monitoring and urban planning.
In addition to infrastructure development, the project has focused on human resource training.
Vietnam has already achieved an important milestone with the successful launch of the 50-kilogram experimental satellite MicroDragon on January 18 using the Epsilon-4 launch vehicle.
Meanwhile, the LOTUSat-1 satellite has completed its manufacturing phase and is expected to play a key role in Vietnam’s future space activities.
Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Ito Naoki described the inauguration as “a historic moment,” marking the beginning of a new era of space cooperation between Japan and Vietnam.
Such outstanding projects as PicoDragon, the Vietnam National Space Center and the LOTUSat-1 program have laid a solid foundation for expanding scientific and technological collaboration between the two countries.
