Vietnam’s LOTUSat-1 satellite ready for takeoff

Vietnam’s LOTUSat-1 satellite has been completed, with the ground system at Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park in Hanoi fully operational and ready to receive data once the satellite enters orbit.

Associate Professor Pham Anh Tuan, General Director of the Vietnam National Space Center (VNSC) under the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, shared the update with VnExpress on Wednesday.

The launch, originally scheduled for February 2025, has been delayed with no confirmed new date due to the failed test launch of Japan’s Epsilon-S rocket on Nov. 26, 2024.

« Japan is considering whether to continue using the Epsilon-S after improvements or switch to a different rocket type, » Tuan says, adding that VNSC is working closely with Japanese partners to determine a new launch date while ensuring the satellite’s stable operation post-launch.

During a discussion with major Japanese corporations on Mar. 1, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh urged the Japanese government and businesses to continue supporting key cooperative projects, particularly in high-tech sectors, including the satellite launch in 2025.

A team of Vietnamese engineers and experts was sent to Japan to oversee the design, assembly, and testing of the satellite in simulated space conditions. Tuan emphasizes that these processes are crucial for technology transfer, providing VNSC with valuable experience in large-scale industrial production and specialized knowledge enhancement.

The LOTUSat-1 project is a foundational step in Vietnam’s Strategy for Space Science and Technology Development and Application until 2030, aimed at strengthening the country’s expertise and advancing self-reliance in space technology.

In Vietnam, the ground system has been established at the Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park in Hanoi. It includes a 9.3-meter-diameter ground antenna for signal reception, a satellite control and operations center, and a data processing center.

VNSC has adopted Japanese technology to operate this system. The satellite will serve government agencies by providing timely and accurate data for emergency response, socio-economic development, and national security.

LOTUSat-1 is part of the « Disaster Prevention and Climate Change Adaptation Using Earth Observation Satellites » project. Launched in September 2012 at Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park, the project is funded by Japanese ODA and Vietnam’s counterpart capital.

Weighing 600 kg, LOTUSat-1 is equipped with the latest radar technology, capable of detecting objects as small as one meter on the ground and operating in all weather conditions, day and night. The satellite will capture high-resolution images to support disaster response, climate change adaptation, resource management, and environmental monitoring.

In November 2023, Professor Chau Van Minh, President of the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, and Professor Yamakawa Hiroshi, President of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), signed an agreement to conduct feasibility studies on space technology cooperation. Under this collaboration, both sides will share expertise in operating LOTUSat-1 in orbit, managing the Vietnam Space Center, and developing methods for satellite data sharing.

Vietnam and Japan have been cooperating in space technology since 2006. With JAXA’s support, engineers from the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology have successfully developed and launched three domestically produced small satellites—PicoDragon, NanoDragon, and MicroDragon—into orbit.

By Bao Chi – VnExpress.net – March 5, 2025