Expect Vinasat to fly up!

Hope. Hopefully for a first satellite of Vietnamese land to take off to assert its sovereignty in orbit and more importantly, let us take a long step in the process of integration with advanced science and technology in the world. . But over many days, months, and delays, we have not seen Vinasat take off and perhaps in 2008 this will become a reality. I hope, and Vietnamese people are hoping .

From difficult challenges

Currently, Vietnam is hiring Thai satellites to provide Vsat IP Star services to meet telecommunications services at quite expensive prices. Each year, Vietnam lost more than 10 million USD for this item. And of course, when there are satellites, we won't have to spend foreign currency on that " exorbitant " account. Vinasat satellite production project for its own comes from that fact. The National Steering Committee of Vinasat said that in order to get a geostationary orbit for Vinasat satellite, since 1996, the General Department of Post and Telecommunications has registered 8 orbit positions with the Telecommunications Union. Internationally and soon negotiated with many countries related to registered Vietnam positions. Through the implementation of the project of registration and coordination of orbit positions, the General Department of Post and Telecommunications has negotiated and reached agreements to allow Vietnam to use position 107o East, with the frequency bands pre-planned by the International Telecommunication Union, to launch Vinasat telecommunications satellites according to the technical requirements of the pre-feasibility project.

However, since these bands are not yet widely used for regional satellite systems, the use of this band is not conducive to the Vinasat system business. Therefore, the General Department of Post and Telecommunications persevered in negotiating and coordinating to gain a more favorable orbit position for Vinasat satellite business. At that time, according to the contractor's technical analysis results and the results of negotiations with the countries, the 132o East position could meet the requirements of the satellite. The negotiation took place for a long time, so the Vinasat satellite production project also stopped in that time.

Besides the external difficulties, we have many difficulties that exist in ourselves. In 2001, Surrey Space Center (UK) invited us to participate in the project of establishing the world's first small satellite cluster to monitor environmental resources and disaster warning (DMC for short). The way to proceed is that they will build, we send people to acquire technology. From the second satellite we will do it ourselves. But unfortunately for many different reasons, we did not participate in this project. DMC plans to have 5-7 small satellites. The first satellite of this cluster, Algeria successfully launched in late 2002.

In 2001, the Government allowed the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology to develop a pre-feasibility project ' Small satellite monitoring natural resources, environment and natural disasters '. The project is appraised by the Ministry of Planning and Investment. The time of appraisal and investment decision is prolonged because of many reasons that are most important when Vietnam has not yet developed the direction of space technology.

On September 27, 2003, three other small satellites of Turkey, Nigeria and England were also successfully launched from Plesetsk space airport (Russia). China also signed an agreement to participate in this project. If in 2003, we decided to participate, in October 2005, Vietnam's first small satellite was launched with China's small satellite currently used to serve the 2008 Olympic Games in the North. Kinh.

Back to the problem of Vinasat satellite, in 2004, we also had many satellite production projects. After months of preparation, at that time, Vietnam was very urgent to launch the first private telecommunications satellite in 2005.

In October 2005, the Prime Minister approved an investment project to launch Vinasat telecommunications satellite. Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Corporation (VNPT) is assigned to be the investor. After many delays, Vietnam has restarted the first Vinasat satellite project. VNPT said that it is expected to launch this satellite in early 2006.

Meanwhile, a leader of the Vinasat Project Preparation Board of VNPT said that the plan to launch satellites and other preparations depends heavily on bidding plans and equipment technology selection. The leader also added that as long as the Radio Frequency Department confirmed that it was ready to determine the official coordinates for the satellite, VNPT would complete the bidding by the end of November 2006. But, for many different reasons, perhaps the most fundamental source of funding this project has to change again. Vinasat still cannot fly as expected.

Come . wait for 2008

Mr. Hoang Minh Thong, Director of Vinasat Project Management Board - VNPT Group, affirmed that in the second quarter of 2008, Vietnam will launch Vinasat satellite into orbit.

According to Mr. Hoang Minh Thong, Vinasat satellite has a capacity of 20 sets of transponders on C and Ku band, weighing about 2,600 kg at the time of launch, applied the most modern technology, up to the present time. now and has a life expectancy of 15-22 years. Vinasat's coverage area for C band is Japan, East China, Korea, India, ASEAN region and Australia; Ku band has Indochina, East Sea and surrounding areas, part Myanmar. Total investment for the project is approximately 230 million USD. When Vinasat operates, it will be able to provide a wide range of broadband services to all parts of the territory and Vietnamese territorial waters, where currently other modes of transmission have not been reached.

The launch of Vinasat satellite has important implications, contributing to complete the national information infrastructure and improving the safety of telecommunication networks. At the same time, promoting and developing telecommunications and information technology services bring many socio-economic benefits. Accordingly, a wide range of services provided by Vinasat satellites such as satellite capacity lease on a full-set basis, or odd capacity; providing package services such as: VSAT, voice, television, radio in remote areas, data transmission, Internet, videoconferencing, distance learning, remote health care . At the same time The launch of the satellite also affirmed Vietnam's sovereignty over orbit.

Mr. Thong said that VNPT is now hiring Thai satellites to provide Vsat IP Star services to meet current telecommunications services. By 2008, when launching Vinasat satellite, Vsat IP Star service would switch to using ' homegrown ' to effectively exploit and stop Thailand's satellite lease. However, VNPT currently has no specific business plan for Vinasat satellite. The effective exploitation of Vinasat, VNPT is collecting the needs of other industries (security, military, businesses .), then will calculate the domestic usage flow to consider for countries. In the rented area, avoid using wasteful satellites.

The IP (network communication protocol) of the telecommunication system is developing at a fast pace, so the demand of exploiting the power of satellites will increase sharply in the future. VNPT believes that the opportunity for effective launch of Vinasat satellite is available, but the challenge is not small when competing with other suppliers. VNPT will then have to calculate factors such as technology, cost .

Overcoming two contractors from France and Japan, Lockheed Martin of America won the project of Vinasat satellite production in Vietnam. Lockheed Martin has to carry out the package, from producing satellites, boosters, insurance and securing the satellite to a safe orbit. Many countries in the region such as Japan, Korea, Indonesia, China . when launching the first satellite also chose Lockheed Martin as a partner. Contract signing ceremony between Lockheed Martin and Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group (investor) took place in the afternoon of August 3, 2006 in Hanoi.

Arianespace will launch Vietnam's first telecommunications satellite - Vinasat 1 (Photo: space-travel.com)

Arianespace, CEO of Jean-Yves Le Gall of European aerospace transport company Arianespace, said that Arianespace will take charge of launching Vietnam's first telecommunications satellite , VINASAT-1 , into orbit in half. At the beginning of 2008. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2006 Asian Telecommunications Expo (CommunicAsia 2006) in Singapore on June 20, Le Gall said the VINASAT-1 will be launched from a launch pad in Guyana. (French) to orbit with Arianespace Ariane 5 rocket.

Mr. Hoang Minh Thong also affirmed that the current progress of the project is being implemented smoothly, the time for satellite launch is almost certain. The requirement for time to complete this project is very strict, because according to international practice, the time to use orbit 1.32 ^o East. It is mandatory to use in 2008. Therefore, at all costs, launch the satellite as planned.

According to the reporter Automation recently received, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has just had a meeting with the National Steering Committee of Vinasat telecommunications satellite project. According to the report of the steering committee, it is expected to launch into orbit and hand over to Vietnam in April 2008.Currently, Vietnam is setting up a project to build two satellite control stations (one main station, one standby station), expected to be located in Hoai Duc district (Ha Tay) and Ben Cat district (Binh Duong) . Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has asked ministries, agencies and contractors to well implement the project objectives, on schedule with high quality and efficiency, avoid waste and loss in the process of implementation, minimizing most risks during project implementation.

From now until 2008, it is a long time for the projections to be prepared for a long time. Hopefully by 2008, we will not have to wait until 2010, 2012 .

Vu Minh Tien
Email: vuminhtien11@yahoo.com