Viet Nam plans to launch second satellite in eight years

 

Viet Nam has entered negotiations for a position in orbit for its second satellite, Vinasat-2, which is slated to launch in the next seven to eight years, said Deputy Minister of Information and Telecommunications Tran Duc Lai.

Any contractor that meets the requisite conditions for technology and capital will be allowed to participate in Viet Nam’s second satellite project, said Lai.

According to Lai, the successful launch of Vinasat 1 on April 19 laid the foundation for a second satellite launch in the next seven to eight years. To prepare for this, Viet Nam has started negotiating with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) to fix an orbital position for the second satellite.

According to Deputy General Director of the Viet Nam Post and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) Pham Ba Thuoc, around one hour after lift off, the satellite control station based in Que Duong in the northern province of Ha Tay received the first signal from Vinasat 1.

The satellite is controlled from a primary station in Ha Tay and a backup station in the southern province of Binh Duong. Vinasat 1-related services will be supplied as of June 1, 2008. US contractor Lockheed Martin is providing Viet Nam with functional support for the satellite during the first six months of its operation. — VNS