The VINASAT 2 satellite roared off the launch pad aboard an Ariane 5 rocket at 22.13 GMT on May 15 from Kourou (French Guyana, South America).
The VINASAT 2 satellite roared off the launch pad aboard an Ariane 5 rocket at 22.13 GMT on May 15 from Kourou (French Guyana, South America).
More than 30 minutes after the launch, it was separated from the rocket and went into orbit.
It was Vietnam’s second Ariane 5 rocket launch, since 2008, to carry a communications satellite into orbit.
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Speaking after the launch, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung emphasized the Party and State’s special attention to the project to launch VNASAT 1 and VINASAT 2 satellites as they are not only socio-politically significant but also affirms Vietnam’s sovereignty over space and increases its status in the international arena.
VINASAT 1 was sent into orbit on April 28, marking a milestone in Vietnam’s access to space resources. The Government leader said the effective exploitation of VINASAT 1 reflected the Party’s sound policies aimed at providing a firm foundation for the country to launch the second satellite.
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The new acquisitions will open up opportunities for the country to apply state-of-the-art technologies to serve its socio-economic development, and improve people’s living conditions. It will also contribute to ensuring national security and defence and sharpen the capacity of the information and communication sector, he added.
PM Dung spoke highly of the dynamic efforts of the Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC), the Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group (VNPT), its partners and contractors.
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The satellite will offer direct television broadcasting, telecommunications and Internet services.
Together with VINASAT 1, VINASAT 2 will help ensure the safe and stable provision of services, intensify the safety of the national telecommunication network, and expand the provision of telecom, audio-visual and internet services across the country. It aims to support national socio-economic development, natural disaster mitigation, and national defence and security.
The Prime Minister asked the MIC to put the VINASAT 2 into stable operation and effectively use the satellite to help people in remote areas keep updated with information..
Mr Dung expressed hope that VNPT will continue taking the lead in developing human resources and working with relevant ministries and agencies to propose its plan for future development of the sector.
Manufactured by Lockheed Martine from the US, VINASAT 2 is outfitted with Ku band transmission beams to blanket Southeast Asia and adjacent areas. The satellite weighs approximately 3 tonnes and has a lifespan of 15 years.
Following the success of the VINASAT 1 project in 2008, the Vietnam Post and Telecommunication Group (VNPT) was trusted to develop the VINASAT 2 project at a cost of US$260-280 million.
It partnered Lockheed Martin from the US that supplied the satellite, control station equipment and launch services.
(Source: VOV)
