The VNREDSat-1B remote-sensing satellite will be produced by Belgium on Vietnam’s order and it is expected to be put into orbit in 2017.

On January 20, Vietnam and Belgium signed the contract on the design, manufacture and launch of the VNREDSat-1B small satellite, in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai and Belgian Deputy Prime Minister Johan Vande Lanotte, who visits Vietnam from January 18 to 22.

VNREDSat-1B is the second earth observation satellite, which helps monitor natural resources, environment and natural disasters, manufactured by three companies of Belgium.

The satellite has a weight of about 130kg, 865x679x654mm in size with a minimum lifespan of five years. It is derived from the group of Proba (Project for On- BoardAutonomy) satellites of the European Space Agency (ESA).

It is expected that the second remote-sensing satellite of Vietnam will be launched in 2017. The image reception, operating and processing equipment is installed at the Hoa Lac Hi-tech Park, Hanoi.

In May 2013, VNREDSat-1 satellite was launched into orbit by VEGA rocket from the Kourou launch site, Guyana of France. The first remote-sensing satellite of Vietnam has stably operating in orbit, sending to the ground station clear pictures about Vietnam and some areas in the world.