Ground-breaking ceremony of the Vietnam Space Center project
To carry out the strategy on studying and applying space technology until 2020, VAST conducted to implement tasks assigned by the Government such as establishing the Space Technology Institute and the National Satellite Center; presided over state-level research projects on space technology; carried out projects on small earth-observation satellites; provided cadre training and promoted international cooperation in the field of space. One special important task is the project on building Vietnam Space Center at the Hoa Lac hi-tech park, carried out by the Vietnam National Satellite Center.
On September 19th, 2012, the ground breaking ceremony of the Vietnam Space Center took place at the Hoa Lac hi-tech park. The event drew the participation of Prof. Chau Van Minh, member of the Party Central Committee and VAST president; Nguyen Van Lang, deputy minister of Science and Technology, head of the management board of the Hoa Lac hi-tech park; Le Dinh Tien, deputy minister of Science and Technology; Nguyen Van Cong, deputy minister of Communications and Transport; H.E. Mr. Yasuaki Tanizaki, Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam; representatives from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and many domestic and foreign scientists.
Prof. Chau Van Minh made a speech at the ceremony
Constructed on 9ha, the Vietnam Space Center Project is implemented over ten years (from 2011 to 2020) with ODA funding from the Japanese Government and counterpart funding from Vietnamese Government, with the total capital of about 54.4 billion JPY. This is the most basic invested center for scientific study and application in Vietnam, which starts a hi-tech industry. The center takes responsibility for important tasks such as: Master the technology and manufacture small satellites for earth observation of Vietnam in any weather condition with radar technology; Process satellite data for disaster monitoring and early warning; early forecasts for agricultural production, marine resources, update digital mapping system for land management and planning, global climate change and national security.
Assoc.Prof. Dr. Pham Anh Tuan, director of the National Satellite Center, introduced the project on building the Vietnam Space Center.
The project is consists of 3 main components, including technical infrastructure and facilities: Assembly, Integration and Testing Center for small satellites; Data Receiving Ground Station; R&D center; Education Center; Space Museum and Observatory; technology transfer: Receive and self-manufacture 02 small earth observation satellites using SAR technology with high resolution; and capacity development: Training of about 350 scientists, experts and high-level managers in the field of space technology.
The Vietnam Space Center is a national key investment project. To be completed by 2020, Vietnam will have a leading modern space center in Southeast Asia. Diverse actives such as study, training, application and international cooperation in the field of national space technology will be carried out at the center, contributing to reaching the goals of the strategy and plan on developing space technology of Vietnam, practically and effectively serving the cause of national industrialization and modernization.
Following are several photos from the ground breaking ceremony of the project:
Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, head of the management board of Hoa Lac hi-tech park Nguyen Van Lang presented the construction investment certificate of the Vietnam Space Center project to Assoc.Prof. Dr. Pham Anh Tuan
Vietnamese and Japanese representatives pressed a button opening the ground breaking of the Vietnam Space Center project
The model of the Vietnam Space Center in the future
Translated by Tuyet Nhung
