LOTUSat-1, Vietnam’s First Radar Satellite, Completes Design and Manufacturing Phase. The satellite is expected to be launched into space by the end of this year or early next year, as shared by Associate Professor Dr. Tran Tuan Anh, Vice President of the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, at a press conference on July 12.
Further details on the LOTUSat-1 satellite were provided by Dr. Le Xuan Huy, Deputy General Director of the Vietnam Space Center. He mentioned that the Japanese government anticipates the satellite could be launched around February 2025. According to the plan, after three months of testing in orbit, around June 2025, the LOTUSat-1 satellite will be handed over to the Vietnam Space Center to operate the entire system for five years.
To prepare for the utilization of the satellite after it is launched into orbit, all ground equipment systems, including the satellite control operation center and satellite data application center, have been installed at the Vietnam Space Center in Hoa Lac since May 2024. This system is expected to be handed over in September 2024 to receive the first signal from the satellite.
Model of the LOTUSat-1 satellite. (Photo: NEC).
Previously, Vietnam signed a contract for the “LOTUSat-1 satellite, equipment, and training” with Sumitomo Corporation (Japan). The LOTUSat-1 satellite weighs approximately 570 kg and employs radar technology capable of capturing high-resolution images of the Earth in all weather conditions, both day and night. The project also aims to train high-level human resources, assisting Vietnam in gradually mastering the technology for larger satellite manufacturing.
Dr. Le Xuan Huy stated that the satellite can capture images under any weather conditions, making it particularly suitable for a country like Vietnam, which often experiences cloudy and foggy weather. Therefore, the Vietnam Space Center hopes that the data from this satellite will significantly contribute to Vietnam.
According to Associate Professor Dr. Pham Anh Tuan, General Director of the Vietnam Space Center, Vietnam is one of the countries most affected by global warming and climate change. Space services and technologies will be key to better understanding the climate change process and supporting the entire disaster monitoring and prevention cycle. This will help to minimize the impacts of natural disasters caused by climate change.
Associate Professor Pham Anh Tuan further noted that space technology continues to develop robustly worldwide, with each country having different approaches to space technology. Vietnam has chosen to gradually master the technology of designing and manufacturing space systems rather than purchasing satellite images from foreign countries.
This path requires considerable time and effort, but according to Associate Professor Tuan, this approach aligns with Vietnam’s conditions and meets the requirements for development and national defense during the 4.0 industrial revolution, where high technology, information, and data become competitive weapons among nations.
