European commercial launch services provider Arianespace has signed a contract with Astrium to launch the VNREDSat-1A, the first Earth observation satellite for Vietnam.
Currently, the satellite is being built by Astrium for the Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology.
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The 120kg satellite will be launched during the second quarter of 2013 on the second flight of Europe’s Vega launcher, VERTA 1, by Arianespace from the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana.
VNREDSat-1A will be carried in the lower position on the Vespa multiple launch pattern used for the mission and will be positioned into sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 670km to collect optical imagery.
The optical observation satellite is expected to provide Vietnam with a complete satellite system and ground receiving facilities.
In its first flight in February 2012, the Vega rocket delivered a laser ranging satellite and a cache of smaller payloads into orbit.
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By GlobalDataArianespace’s launch vehicles including Ariane 5, Soyuz and Vega are well suited to satellites that are based on Myriade or AstroSat-100 platforms, such as VNREDSat-1A.
To date, Arianespace has launched 12 satellites of similar model from the Guiana Space centre, seven using Ariane 5 and five aboard the Soyuz vehicle.
This contract further expands bilateral relationship between Vietnam and France, as the two countries celebrate the 40th anniversary of their cooperation, which was established in 1973.
In December 2012, Arianespace launched two telecommunications satellites, Skynet 5D of the UK and Mexsat Bicentenario of Mexico, aboard Ariane 5 ECA from the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
