Vietnam’s first homemade radar satellite to go into space
LOTUSat-1, Vietnam’s first ever indigenous weather satellite, is expected to be launched into orbit from December 2024 to February 2025, according to the Vietnam National Satellite Centre (VNSC) at the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST).
The fifth Epsilon solid-fuel rocket that carries Vietnam’s NanoDragon satellite. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – LOTUSat-1, Vietnam’s first ever indigenous weather satellite,is expected to be launched into orbit from December 2024 to February 2025, accordingto the Vietnam National Satellite Centre (VNSC) at the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST).
VNSC Deputy General Director Le Xuan Huy said the570kg satellite is expected to be completed in May, withan image resolution of one metre.
Huy said radarsatellites can take pictures in all weather conditions, cloudy, foggy orlow-light, adding the ground control system for the launch will be completed bySeptember this year at the Hoa Lac hi-tech park.
In 2019, the VNSC and Japan’s Sumitomo Corp. cooperated to implement theproject "LOTUSat-1 satellite, equipment and human resources training", using official development assistance(ODA) loans from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
In addition to satellite development, there havebeen classes to transfer radar satellite image processing technology to preparetechnology and human resources for the launch, Huy said.
According to the VAST’s Space Technology Institute, Vietnam’s first remote sensingsatellite, the VNREDSat-1, has been operating effectively since it was launchedin 2013.
The 120-kg satellitehas run for 10 straight years to assist Vietnam in addressing challenges inforest and water resources management, disaster management, urban mapping andplanning, national defence and security, and coastal zone management./.
VNA
Related News
After a decade, Vietnam’s first remote sensing satellite, the VNREDSat-1, has completed 53,000 rounds around the Earth, totaling 2.4 billion km, it was announced at a ceremony in Hanoi on May 16 to celebrate the 10th anniversary since its launch into space.
The image of the Vietnamese national flag on the roof of a hall on Truong Sa Lon Island was shown in the Google Maps app on July 18 morning.
Diversification of destinations and experiences is one way to solve excessive tourism in existing sites, and a way to promote sustainable tourism, said Nguyen Trung Khanh, Chairman of Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT).
After four editions of the Top Industry 4.0, this year, the programme was officially renamed “Vietnam I4 Impact Awards”, which is not just a change in name but a shift in development thinking and core values.
Experts said close coordination among State management agencies, research institutes, universities, and businesses will improve training quality and serve the dual goals of quality education and practical research application.
To promote copyright protection, Vietnam is accelerating efforts to master core technologies and build integrated platforms capable of receiving, processing, distributing and protecting digital content on a unified system.
OVs hope the two countries can establish an interconnected cooperation mechanism in the technology supply chain, from sharing research, testing, and development infrastructure to training human resources, thereby forming a technology alliance able to compete with others in the ASEAN region and the world.
Part of the Vietnam Innovation Challenge 2026, the programme goes beyond conventional coding competitions by requiring participants to develop AI-driven solutions to business challenges in real time.
Many experts in Singapore expressed their hope that the General Secretary and President’s visit will pave the way for more substantive cooperation mechanisms between Vietnam and Singapore in high technology, innovation and human resources development.
Ho Chi Minh City currently hosts 143 science and technology enterprises, accounting for around 20% of the national total. Total factor productivity (TFP) contributes 59% to the city’s GRDP growth, with science and technology responsible for 74% of TFP growth.
Over recent years, NSTDA has built strong partnerships with Vietnamese research institutes and organisations in agriculture, biotechnology, energy and sustainable development. Notable examples include joint projects on cassava value chains, salt-tolerant rice, biotechnology products and an initiative on green energy cooperation and development in the Mekong basin.
Vietnam now needs more effective digital transformation to create higher productivity, new growth models and stronger competitiveness in the AI era, said participants at the plenary session of the Vietnam-Asia DX Summit 2026.
The project aims to transform VNeID into a modern, secure and highly scalable national digital platform capable of effectively serving citizens, businesses, agencies and organisations in handling administrative procedures, accessing online public services, conducting electronic transactions and using digital utilities.
More than just a major technology competition for engineering students, this year’s event provides a platform for innovation, artificial intelligence (AI) and practical industrial applications to converge.
Regional Representative of the UNODC for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, Delphine Schantz, recommended that countries should treat the UN Convention against Cybercrime (Hanoi Convention) as a ‘starting point,’ instead of an ‘end goal.’
The inclusion of Vietnamese researchers in the 2026 Asian Scientist 100 list alongside Nobel laureates highlights Vietnam’s increasing integration into the global scientific community and its expanding research capabilities.
For Ho Chi Minh City, science, technology and innovation have been identified as key drivers of growth in the new development period. Biotechnology, therefore, is considered one of the sectors capable of generating high added value and promoting the transition towards a greener growth model.
Addressing the forum, Vietnamese Ambassador Tran Phuoc Anh expressed appreciation for the initiative to connect Vietnamese intellectuals in Singapore and make the most of the city-state’s strengths in science, technology and innovation.
Experiences from localities nationwide show that Resolution 57 is fostering a marked transformation in development mindset. Science and technology, innovation and digital transformation are increasingly becoming foundational drivers of economic growth and opening new development space for localities in the years ahead.
Vietnamese authorities handled more than 30 cases involving the illegal sale and theft of personal data between 2023 and 2025, affecting over 160 million data records across sectors including health, education, finance, banking and telecommunications.
Participants highlighted the importance of building a proactive, synchronised and sustainable national cybersecurity ecosystem through closer cooperation among regulators, technology firms, research institutions and cybersecurity experts.
Research by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) shows that AI adoption in the legal sector remains constrained by fragmented, unstandardised and weakly connected legal databases. A unified national legal data ecosystem has yet to be established, while big data and AI applications are still largely confined to pilot programmes and have not been integrated across the full legislative process, including drafting, appraisal, review and inspection of legal documents.
The scheme aims to build a workforce with sufficient quantity, balanced structure and high-quality expertise to meet the country’s growing demand for atomic energy development and applications, while ensuring radiation safety, nuclear safety and nuclear security.