VietNamNet Bridge – The VNREDSat-1B remote-sensing satellite will be produced by Belgium on Vietnam’s order and it is expected to be put into orbit in 2017.



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Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai and Belgian Deputy Prime Minister Johan Vande Lanotte witnessed the signing ceremony of the satellite manufacturing contract. Photo: VGP



On January 20, Vietnam and Belgium signed the contract on the design, manufacture and launch of the VNREDSat-1B small satellite, in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai and Belgian Deputy Prime Minister Johan Vande Lanotte, who visits Vietnam from January 18 to 22.

VNREDSat-1B is the second earth observation satellite, which helps monitor natural resources, environment and natural disasters, manufactured by three companies of Belgium.

The satellite has a weight of about 130kg, 865x679x654mm in size with a minimum lifespan of five years. It is derived from the group of Proba (Project for On- BoardAutonomy) satellites of the European Space Agency (ESA).

It is expected that the second remote-sensing satellite of Vietnam will be launched in 2017. The image reception, operating and processing equipment is installed at the Hoa Lac Hi-tech Park, Hanoi.

In May 2013, VNREDSat-1 satellite was launched into orbit by VEGA rocket from the Kourou launch site, Guyana of France. The first remote-sensing satellite of Vietnam has stably operating in orbit, sending to the ground station clear pictures about Vietnam and some areas in the world.

S. Tung