VietNamNet Bridge – The Government has approved the plan to launch the mini satellite VNREDSat-1A, the first remote sensing satellite of Vietnam.

Dr. Bui Trong Tuyen, Deputy Director of Institute of Space Technology, says that satellite VNREDSat - 1A is designed by French satellite maker Astrium. The project started in 2010, when a delegation of the Academy of Science and Technology of Vietnam went to Toulouse, France to place an order.

In this project, 15 Vietnamese engineers will be trained by Astrium in operating the satellite.

"Satellite VNREDSat - 1A serves the earth observation, monitoring and analysis of natural resources and environmental management and monitoring of natural disasters throughout the Vietnamese territory for five years," Tuyen says.

VNREDSat-1A is an optical observation satellite. The 120 kg satellite can helps the management agencies to make early warnings to people about disaster.

The satellite will be launched into space by Ariane Space’s Vega rocket from the Guiana Space Centre, European Space Agency (ESA), in Guyana, South America.

The VNREDSat-1A satellite project has an investment of more than $70 million, from the French government's ODA loans and reciprocal capital of Vietnam.

This is Vietnam's third satellite launched into space. The Vinasat-1 was launched into orbit in 2008 and Vinasat-2 was launched last year.

S. Tung