Vietnam Plans to Launch Radar Satellites to Oversee Environment

Vietnam expects to launch LOTUSat-1 in 2019 and LOTUSat-2 in 2022, the satellites with radar technology that will observe the earth and in charge of managing natural resources and environment. LOTUSat-1 and LOTUSat-2 are important components of the national satellite center project costing $600 million, the country’s biggest science and technology project so far. LOTUSat-1 and LOTUSat-2 with weight of 600 kilos each has life expectancy in orbit up to five years. After being launched into space, the satellites will give early warnings about natural calamities, climate change, and track the movement of fish, serving offshore fishing activities and national security. According to Pham Anh Tuan, director of the National Satellite Center, the two satellites will be able to take pictures in all weather conditions with high resolution. LOTUSat-1 will be manufactured by both Japanese and Vietnamese experts while LOTUSat-2 will be designed and assembled in Vietnam by Vietnamese engineers. Experts from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) said that the two satellites will give data that will improve the efficiency of agricultural production, allowing Vietnam to save $150 million thanks to reduction of damages caused by natural calamities. Foreign organizations have reported that natural calamities in Vietnam cause damages equal to 1.5-2% of its gross domestic product (GDP). (VietNamNet Feb 8)