A French company Wednesday handed over control of Viet Nam’s first remote sensing satellite, the 115-kg VNREDSat-1, to the Viet Nam Academy of Science and Technology, newswire VnExpress reported.

A photo of the Song Bung 2 Hydropower Plant in Quang Nam Province taken by VNREDSat-1 (Photo courtesy of VAST)

The $75.5-million satellite, built by Astrium, an aerospace subsidiary of the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company, was launched May 7 from the Kourou space station in French Guiana.

To operate the satellite, Viet Nam built three earth stations and sent 15 engineers to Toulouse to train.

VNREDSat-1 has shot and processed more than 9,200 images from an altitude of 6,680 km above the Earth, according to VAST.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan said at the handover ceremony the successful launch of VNREDSat-1 marked the progress of Viet Nam’s space technology.

Thanks to this remote sensing satellite, Viet Nam has fully mastered small satellite technology and can independently process images of all regions in the country, he said.

Viet Nam has also launched two communications satellites, Vinasat-1 and Vinasat-2, since 2008.

(Source: thanhniennews)