Vietnam to Launch First Satellite

[Grasshopper]

Vietnam unveiled plans to launch its first satellite in March of next year in an effort to reduce the country's reliance on leased foreign satellites for communication traffic, officials said this week. The satellite, called Vinasat, is being built by Lockheed Martin and is scheduled to be launched using an Arianespace rocket.

If the satellite is launched on time without any problems, the bird will be transferred to the Vietnam Post and Telecoms Group (VNPT) in April for commercial operations, said Hoang Minh Thong, head of the Vinasat project management board under VNPT.

According to reports, the $250 million satellite will have 20 transmitters with a life-expectancy of between 15 and 20 years. Vinasat will provide data transmission, internet, television and radio coverage to Vietnam and other parts of Southeast Asia and Eastern Australia, Thong said.

As it stands now, Vietnam leases satellite transmission services from Thailand, Indonesia and Russia to transmit state television and radio. Vinasat is estimated to save the government around $10 million per year once the satellite is in orbit.