NASA uses Vietnam's nano tube carbon as a spacecraft shell

Good news for Vietnam's high-tech industry: Research Center of the US Space Agency - NASA - located in Silicon Valley in California (NASA Ames Research Center) and R&D Center of the HCM City High-Tech Park signed a cooperation agreement about the application of carbon nano tube products produced by R&D Center in key areas of NASA.

Carbon nano tube of R&D Center (taken via Fe-SEM electron microscope)

Accordingly, NASA will use Vietnam's carbon nano tube to produce the reader of electron microscopy with atomic resolution (AFM tips). This is the first application of nanotechnology into the production of scientific equipment, bringing super profits. Materials to make this product are worth about 10 USD, but when finished, an AFM tip is marketed with a selling price of about 600 USD.

Besides, NASA has decided to cooperate to deploy the technology of nano-compound (nano composite) of Vietnam in the production of spacecraft shells. NASA has chosen VN's carbon nano tube product to produce it due to its uniform, uninfected features, high application value and especially cheaper price compared to Japanese and Chinese products . Carbon nano tube is considered to be the central material of the century, sold in the world market with prices from 100,000 USD - 800,000 USD / kg, successfully produced by R&D Center in large quantities entirely by materials and domestic technology.

NASA also proposed to cooperate with the R&D Center in regularly exchanging, training human resources, sharing experiences on nanotechnology. In the coming time, the US will conduct the funding, human resources and equipment to develop R&D plan with the R&D Center, to produce about 3 tons of nano carbon tubes by the end of 2008, serving the purpose of manufacturing NASA products. According to Dr. Nguyen Chanh Khe, Director of R&D Center, this is one of the meaningful scientific cooperation agreements, raising the high-tech industry of Vietnam when being highly appreciated and cooperated by a great power in this field. learn and share experiences.

Dr. Nguyen Chanh Khe (left), Director of R&D Center and Mr. Cattien, senior scientific researcher of NASA Ames Research Center, at Nanotech Conference 2007 held at Santa Clara Convention Center (USA)

Thuy Vinh