Airbus Defence and Space has signed a declaration of intent with the French Space Agency and the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology to advance Earth observation capabilities while ensuring the continued success of the VNREDSat-1 space program.
Formalized in the presence of French President Emmanuel Macron and Vietnamese President Lương Cường, the agreement will see Airbus and VAST continue their VNREDSat-1 cooperation while developing and implementing next-generation Earth observation satellite systems capable of supporting the Southeast Asian nation’s climate change mitigation and natural resource management efforts.
Launched in May 2013, VNREDSat-1 forms part of Vietnam’s Space Technology Development Strategy. It has delivered 160,000 images of the nation’s territories and territorial waters, providing a solution for monitoring natural resources, the environment and natural disasters.
“The renewed cooperation between Airbus, CNES and VAST reflects a clear dedication to long-term partnerships that build sovereign capabilities and deliver meaningful societal value,” said Stéphane Vesval, senior vice president of sales for space systems at Airbus Defence and Space. “We are proud to continue supporting Vietnam’s vision of becoming a leading spacefaring nation in Southeast Asia.”
Under the expanded agreement, CNES and VSAT are also expanding their scientific and technical exchange, particularly in Earth observation, while exploring the possibility of developing targeted applications using shared data sets.