Engineers at VNSC constructing a small satellite. Photo courtesy of VNSC

HÀ NỘI — A seminar held by the Vietnam National Space Centre (VNSC) on June 30 has discussed the idea of utilising small satellite systems to build a national capacity for Earth observation.

VNSC General Director, Assoc. Prof. Dr Phạm Anh Tuấn, said in February 2021 the Government announced a strategy for the development and application of aerospace science and technology by 2030, aiming to utilise achievements in these fields to address defence and security issues, strengthen the management of environmental and natural resources, monitor natural disasters and minimise their impacts, and provide related services for people.

This seminar forms part of the efforts to translate the strategy into reality, according to Tuấn.

Studies jointly conducted by the VNSC, the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) found that developing small satellites would work the best for Việt Nam, and it is also a trend as many countries worldwide are leveraging constellations of satellites in Earth observation activities, he noted.

Japanese experts said Việt Nam has an advantageous position to expand the use of new satellite technologies to ASEAN and Asia-Pacific. The combination of Việt Nam’s ground infrastructure and satellites, and Japan’s technologies and services, are critical to opening more opportunities for the use of satellite data by both sides, they said.

They also held that multi-layered capacity-building programmes, which encourage the participation of the private sector in aerospace, can help Việt Nam take big steps in automation and enable more sectors to reap benefits from satellite data. VNS