Vietnam’s MicroDragon satellite has been tested as working normally after beinglaunched into space by Japan’s Epsilon rocket on January 18, as was reported tothe PM at the working session.
TheMicroDragon is part of a project on disaster and climate change preparationusing satellites for observation of planet Earth.
Speakingat the event, the PM said the satellite is the result of great efforts by theVietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) and the Vietnam National SpaceCentre, under the direction of the Ministry of Science and Technology.
Healso lauded the Japanese Government, research institutes, and universities forsupporting Vietnam in this new field, laying an important foundation for spacetechnology development in the future.
Theleader expressed his delight that Vietnamese engineers were able to master thetechnology and are now ready to manufacture satellites that weigh below 50kg.
Headded that the result has affirmed Vietnam’s space sovereignty in the digitalera and its capacity in satellite design and manufacturing.
Heasked the Ministry of Planning and Investment to promptly submit a project on buildingan outer space control station, while asking that the VAST pay furtherattention to workforce training towards manufacturing larger-scale satellites inthe country.
TheVAST was also required to implement the space technology development strategy inthe near future.
The launch of the MicroDragon satellite took place at 7:50am(Hanoi time) at Uchinoura Space Centre in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan.
The MicroDragon was developed by 36 Vietnamese engineers from theNational Space Centre with the help of Japanese experts. The engineers were allsent to study space technology at five top universities in Japan between 2013and 2017.
The satellite is tasked with observing coastal areas to assesswater quality, locate fishery resources, and monitor changes in coastal watersto serve Vietnam’s aquaculture industry. –VNA