France is willing to continue its financial support for Vietnam as well as the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) in space projects.

France is willing to continue its financial support for Vietnam as well as the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) in space projects.

The remark was made by French Minister of Foreign Trade Nicole Bricq at her meeting in Paris on July 2 with a visiting VAST delegation led by VAST President Prof. Chau Van Minh. 

She said the launch of Vietnam’s first remote sensing satellite, VNREDSAT 1, on May 7 this year is an important milestone and a symbol of the scientific and technological cooperation between the two countries. 

The VNREDSAT 1 project has a total investment of 55.8 million EUR sourced by the French Government’s Official Development Assistance. The satellite was designed and built by Astrium, an affiliate of the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company. 

Astrium is scheduled to hand over the control of the satellite to VAST, whose officials and engineers have received training in this field in France over the past two years, on August 8 this year. 

VAST President Chau Van Minh thanked the French Government and partners for their support and coordination during the implementation of the project. 

Following the success of VNREDSAT 1, the academy has launched a space technology research strategy to 2020, he said, affirming Vietnam’s desire to continue working with France in projects under the strategy./.