Vietnam hopes to lead ASEAN in satellite development in the comingdecades, Dr. Pham Anh Tuan, Director of the Vietnam Satellite Centre,told the Ha Noi Moi (New Hanoi) newspaper.
*Will the Vietnam Satellite Centre (VNSC) function like USA's NASA or Japan's JAXA when its construction is completed?
TheVietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) thought ofestablishing the VNSC in 2007 after the Prime Minister approved anational research and development for space technology.
Work onthe centre is underway at the Lang Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park, some 40km fromHanoi. Fund for the centre's construction comes from two main sources:Japanese ODA (over 600 million USD) and government's counterpartcontribution. The centre is expected to open in 2020 as scheduled.
Vietnam'sstrategy for space technology development has two main objectives: thefirst is that by 2020, Vietnam will be able to design, integrate andtest small satellites orbiting the earth; the second is to collect andprocess data sent back from the satellites in order to provide timelyinformation about natural disasters like floods and storms, and assistwith climate change adaptation.
For this, the centre needs toinvestment in three components at the same time - technicalinfrastructure, technology transfer, and human resources development.
*Accordingto the plan, following the launch of micro satellite "PicoDragon" in2013, the VNSC will improve its technological capabilities and launchits first commercial satellite by 2020. Is this feasible?
Yes,it is feasible. The PicoDragon we sent is programmed to capture imagesof the earth, collect space environment data and test communicationsystems. Weighing nearly one kg, it was developed by young engineers andresearchers of the centre.
In 2016, a 10kg weight NanoDragon will be launched into space and a 50kg MicroDragon will be launched into space by 2020.
Tomake sure everything will be completed on schedule, the centre hasworked hard on all fronts, including building infrastructure andtraining human resources so as to absorb new technology.
*How canwe focus on developing space and aviation technology when ourelectronics, communications or engineering industries have yet fullydeveloped?
Every country adopts a different approach to technological development.
Whenwe talk about a "made-in-Vietnam" satellite, it should be understoodthat it has been designed by Vietnamese engineers. Some of its spareparts are imported and some are made in Vietnam. But, the importantassembling step will be done in Vietnam.
The firsttelecommunications satellite VINASAT-1 was successfully launched onApril 19, 2008. It marked a turning point in the development ofVietnam's telecommunications and information technology sector. It hasalso served as a base for further research and launching of moresatellites.
Then, four years later, in 2012, the ground breakingceremony for constructing VNSC was launched. Then a year later, wesuccessfully launched the PicoDragon.
*Can you tell us a bit moreabout satellite images of our natural resources as also how they helpin natural disaster prevention and mitigation?
So far we have been very active in conducting research and applying satellite technology to serve daily life.
Forexample, we have used satellite images to assess damage caused bystorms and other natural disasters. We have also developed themathematical models to evaluate the impacts of climate change and otherphenomena.
The centre plans to research satellite application insurveillance and early natural disaster warning, including forestfires, flooding, landslides, oil spills and others. It will also expandits international cooperation, particularly with countries in theregion.
*Can you talk a bit about cooperation in the production chain for Japanese commercial satellites?
No,it is not in the production chain for Japanese commercial satellites.The plan is to share satellite images among countries in the regiontowards gaining early warnings of natural disasters. For example, ourcentre is preparing to join the Japanese Quasi-Zenith Satellites System(QZSS). The Japanese QZSS uses multiple satellites that have the sameorbital period as geostationary satellites with some orbitalinclinations - their orbits are known as "Quasi-Zenith Orbits".
Thesesatellites are placed in multiple orbital planes, so that one satellitealways appears near the zenith above the region of Japan. The systemmakes it possible to provide high accuracy satellite positioningservices covering close to 100 percent of Japan, including urban canyonand mountain terrain.
*How is VNSC developing the human resources it needs?
Ishould say that human resources development is the most important partof developing satellite technology in Vietnam. They are trained at homeand abroad, in countries like Japan, the Republic of Korea and Germany.
Thecentre has sent about 100 people to Japan for further training in theapplication and management of satellite. As of now, up to 60 percent ofVNSC staff are under 30 years old.-VNA
*Will the Vietnam Satellite Centre (VNSC) function like USA's NASA or Japan's JAXA when its construction is completed?
TheVietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) thought ofestablishing the VNSC in 2007 after the Prime Minister approved anational research and development for space technology.
Work onthe centre is underway at the Lang Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park, some 40km fromHanoi. Fund for the centre's construction comes from two main sources:Japanese ODA (over 600 million USD) and government's counterpartcontribution. The centre is expected to open in 2020 as scheduled.
Vietnam'sstrategy for space technology development has two main objectives: thefirst is that by 2020, Vietnam will be able to design, integrate andtest small satellites orbiting the earth; the second is to collect andprocess data sent back from the satellites in order to provide timelyinformation about natural disasters like floods and storms, and assistwith climate change adaptation.
For this, the centre needs toinvestment in three components at the same time - technicalinfrastructure, technology transfer, and human resources development.
*Accordingto the plan, following the launch of micro satellite "PicoDragon" in2013, the VNSC will improve its technological capabilities and launchits first commercial satellite by 2020. Is this feasible?
Yes,it is feasible. The PicoDragon we sent is programmed to capture imagesof the earth, collect space environment data and test communicationsystems. Weighing nearly one kg, it was developed by young engineers andresearchers of the centre.
In 2016, a 10kg weight NanoDragon will be launched into space and a 50kg MicroDragon will be launched into space by 2020.
Tomake sure everything will be completed on schedule, the centre hasworked hard on all fronts, including building infrastructure andtraining human resources so as to absorb new technology.
*How canwe focus on developing space and aviation technology when ourelectronics, communications or engineering industries have yet fullydeveloped?
Every country adopts a different approach to technological development.
Whenwe talk about a "made-in-Vietnam" satellite, it should be understoodthat it has been designed by Vietnamese engineers. Some of its spareparts are imported and some are made in Vietnam. But, the importantassembling step will be done in Vietnam.
The firsttelecommunications satellite VINASAT-1 was successfully launched onApril 19, 2008. It marked a turning point in the development ofVietnam's telecommunications and information technology sector. It hasalso served as a base for further research and launching of moresatellites.
Then, four years later, in 2012, the ground breakingceremony for constructing VNSC was launched. Then a year later, wesuccessfully launched the PicoDragon.
*Can you tell us a bit moreabout satellite images of our natural resources as also how they helpin natural disaster prevention and mitigation?
So far we have been very active in conducting research and applying satellite technology to serve daily life.
Forexample, we have used satellite images to assess damage caused bystorms and other natural disasters. We have also developed themathematical models to evaluate the impacts of climate change and otherphenomena.
The centre plans to research satellite application insurveillance and early natural disaster warning, including forestfires, flooding, landslides, oil spills and others. It will also expandits international cooperation, particularly with countries in theregion.
*Can you talk a bit about cooperation in the production chain for Japanese commercial satellites?
No,it is not in the production chain for Japanese commercial satellites.The plan is to share satellite images among countries in the regiontowards gaining early warnings of natural disasters. For example, ourcentre is preparing to join the Japanese Quasi-Zenith Satellites System(QZSS). The Japanese QZSS uses multiple satellites that have the sameorbital period as geostationary satellites with some orbitalinclinations - their orbits are known as "Quasi-Zenith Orbits".
Thesesatellites are placed in multiple orbital planes, so that one satellitealways appears near the zenith above the region of Japan. The systemmakes it possible to provide high accuracy satellite positioningservices covering close to 100 percent of Japan, including urban canyonand mountain terrain.
*How is VNSC developing the human resources it needs?
Ishould say that human resources development is the most important partof developing satellite technology in Vietnam. They are trained at homeand abroad, in countries like Japan, the Republic of Korea and Germany.
Thecentre has sent about 100 people to Japan for further training in theapplication and management of satellite. As of now, up to 60 percent ofVNSC staff are under 30 years old.-VNA
