Vietnam’s collaboration with France in space technology has been significantly bolstered by the VNREDSat-1 satellite program, setting the stage for future advancements in next-generation satellites and enhancing Vietnam’s domestic technological capabilities. This partnership, which began with the satellite’s launch on May 7, 2013, marked Vietnam’s entry into the realm of Earth observation satellites. VNREDSat-1 was officially transferred for operation in September 2013 and, impressively, continues to function in its 14th year, well beyond its anticipated five-year lifespan.
The satellite program was instrumental in advancing Vietnam’s technical knowledge and skills in satellite operations. Between 2011 and 2013, Vietnamese engineers underwent extensive training in both France and Vietnam, acquiring expertise in system design, satellite management, and problem-solving. This training empowered the engineers to address technical challenges independently, transitioning from reliance on transferred protocols to crafting their own solutions. Additionally, Vietnam established a comprehensive remote-sensing infrastructure capable of handling everything from imaging requests to data distribution. Since 2020, VNREDSat-1 has generated close to 30,000 images for various purposes, including environmental management, disaster monitoring, scientific exploration, economic development, and national security.
Trần Hồng Thái, President of the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, highlighted the program’s role in laying a technical and human-resource groundwork for future satellite endeavors. However, he acknowledged that achieving greater technological independence necessitates further progress in areas such as satellite design, electronics, flight software, and ground systems. The emphasis is on enhancing Vietnam’s ability to independently develop and manage satellite technology.
A new chapter of cooperation was initiated during French President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to Vietnam in May 2025. During the visit, the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Airbus Defence and Space, and the French National Centre for Space Studies signed a declaration of intent to extend their partnership in space technology and Earth observation. This agreement aims to explore the development of a next-generation Earth observation system and consider technological options for VNREDSat-2.
Future collaboration is anticipated to focus heavily on increasing Vietnamese involvement in mission planning, system design, and software development, as well as testing and data applications. Opportunities to strengthen Vietnam’s expertise are seen in control software, remote-sensing image processing, artificial intelligence, and selected sensors and payloads. The overarching goal is to transition from purchasing satellite systems to co-developing them, thereby enabling Vietnamese scientists and engineers to progressively master the design, operation, and development of future satellite technologies.