When Tim Hughes, Senior Vice President for Global Business and Government Affairs at SpaceX, met with Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in Hanoi on September 6, 2024, his intentions were clear: to tap into the country’s satellite internet market.
Hughes highlighted that since October 2020, SpaceX has provided satellite internet services in the U.S. through its Starlink network, which now serves nearly three million users across more than 100 countries. SpaceX, a giant in the space industry, is known for offering spacecraft, satellite launch services, and satellite communications, among other services.
Hughes praised Vietnam’s efforts to improve internet connectivity for its population, particularly in areas like education and disaster mitigation. He also expressed SpaceX’s readiness to introduce Starlink to Vietnam as soon as the necessary infrastructure is in place.
𝗔 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴
Vietnam’s interest in satellite services extends beyond internet connectivity, with applications in areas such as forest and marine resource management, security and national defense, disaster prevention, earth observation, and traffic management. Over the past 15 years, Vietnam has actively pursued international cooperation to develop satellites and launch them into orbit, with significant progress made in recent years.
Vietnam’s satellite development journey began in 2007 with the creation of the small satellite PicoDragon. It took six years, with support from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), to complete the one-kilogram microsatellite. PicoDragon was successfully launched into orbit from the International Space Station (ISS) on November 19, 2013, three months after its initial deployment to the ISS.
Earlier that same year, in May 2013, Vietnam launched its first remote sensing satellite, VNREDSat-1, marking an important milestone in the country’s space technology development. While VNREDSat-1 was developed with assistance from Airbus and the French government, PicoDragon was the first microsatellite built entirely in Vietnam, signifying the country’s growing technical capabilities.
PicoDragon, a 1U satellite measuring 10 x 10 x 11.35 cm, was developed by young engineers and researchers at the Vietnam Space Center (VNSC) under the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology. The entire process, from research and development to testing, was conducted in Vietnam.
Six years later, on January 18, 2019, Vietnam launched its next satellite, MicroDragon. Developed by VNSC with guidance from JAXA and Japanese professors from Kyushu Institute of Technology, MicroDragon was designed to observe coastal waters, assess water quality, and identify aquatic resources for Vietnam’s aquaculture industry. The satellite’s images have helped enhance Vietnam’s ability to respond to natural disasters and address climate change.
Then, on November 9, 2021, NanoDragon, a 3U cubesat measuring 10 x 10 x 34 cm, was launched into space. Developed by VNSC, NanoDragon was designed to track and monitor sea vehicles using micro-satellite beam technology.
Currently, VNSC is working on a new earth observation satellite project with the assistance of Japanese partners. This satellite will be Vietnam’s first radar observation satellite, scheduled for launch in February 2025 from Japan’s Uchinoura Space Center.
𝗔𝗻 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Vietnam’s progress in satellite manufacturing positions the country to acquire more advanced space technology in the coming years. However, as a latecomer, Vietnam faces challenges in catching up with global leaders due to its limited scientific and technological capacity and financial resources, according to Dr. Pham Anh Tuan, General Director of VNSC.
Japanese experts have advised Vietnam to prepare for the global shift toward satellite constellations—such as SpaceX’s Starlink network—by leveraging its own satellites alongside advanced foreign technologies. They recommend that Vietnam combine its ground infrastructure and satellites with satellite services from developed countries to improve its satellite capabilities.
Vietnam is currently building a ground station system for satellite operations, with full installation expected by this September at the Vietnam National Space Center. Training courses and technology transfers for processing radar satellite images are also being prepared to ensure the country can effectively utilize data from its future satellites.
Dr. Le Xuan Huy, Deputy General Director of VNSC, noted that hundreds of data processing and satellite image application experts, particularly for radar satellites, have been trained in both Japan and Vietnam. This training, part of the Vietnam National Space Center Project, has laid the groundwork for future satellite data usage.
Vietnam’s preparations have opened doors for international cooperation, such as the potential introduction of satellite internet by SpaceX, as proposed by Tim Hughes during his visit.
During his meeting with Hughes, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh suggested cooperation in areas where SpaceX excels and Vietnam has potential, particularly in scientific and technological development, innovation, and artificial intelligence. While Vietnam’s internet coverage currently stands at around 79%, there remains significant room for growth, with approximately 1,500 villages still lacking internet access.
PM Chinh encouraged SpaceX to expand its collaboration with Vietnam beyond internet services, proposing partnerships in technology transfer, digitalization, and developing technological ecosystems to help Vietnam integrate into global supply chains.
Hughes expressed appreciation for Vietnam’s favorable investment environment and confirmed SpaceX’s readiness to deploy Starlink services in the country for various applications. He urged Vietnam to continue developing the necessary infrastructure to ensure the success of SpaceX’s satellite internet project, which aims to provide widespread connectivity across the nation.
