Prof. Diep presents on Vietnam Astronomy and AAO considerations

1. Astronomy in Vietnam
Pham Ngoc Diep
Department of Astrophysics
Vietnam National Space Center
July 27th, 2022

2. RESEARCH
(active researchers who publish their work)
Essentially limited to: Pr. Phan Bao Ngoc, IU (HCM city),
Pr. Dinh Van Trung, IOP (Hanoi), Pr. Dao Tien Khoa, INST/Vinatom
(Hanoi), VNSC/VAST Department of Astrophysics (6 PhD+2 PhD
student) (Hanoi).
By chance, most of us are working on radio astronomy.
We use data obtained from collaborations or from archived data.
P.N. Diep NatAst (2021)

3. In 2017, Vietnam joined the East Asia Observatory (EAO) as an
observer. Vietnamese astronomers can use EAO's facilities.
EAO's main facility is the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT).
We attend EAO, JCMT users workshops, and EAO board meetings.

4. ICISE organises each year about 10 conferences and schools,
out of that about 1/3 on astronomy/astrophysics.
Simons Astrophysics Group at ICISE (SAGI) endeavors to
facilitate research collaboration between domestic and international
researchers. Training young researchers in astrophysics, and engaging
in the science education for the public in the region.
International Center for Interdisciplinary Science and Education
(ICISE)
Quy Nhon, 25/7/2022

5. OUTREACH
Several amateur astronomer clubs
Planetariums and similar initiatives at various places,
Hoa Lac, Quy Nhon, Nha Trang, …
Good introduction to astronomy/astrophysics
given to space science students at University of Science
and Technology of Hanoi (USTH), International
University (VNU-HCM), and future high school teachers
in universities of education in HCM City and Hanoi

6. Two science exploration centres for public education are
being built in Quy Nhon and Hanoi
Quy Nhon
Hoa Lac to be completed
in 2023

7. Two 0.5 m optical telescopes at Nha Trang and
Hoa Lac, one 0.6 m in Quy Nhon

9. Vietnam Space Center Project
Satellite
and
tech.
transfer
Facilities
Capacity
building
LOTUSat-1 (570 kg) with
radar payload
AIT facilities for small
satellites up to 180kg
Capacity Building for
Satellite Development
(over 100 staffs)
MicroDragon
9
Infrastructure in Ha Noi,
Nha Trang and HCM City
PROJECT FOR DISASTER AND CLIMATE CHANGE
COUNTERMEASURES USING EARTH OBSERVATION SATELLITE

10. Vietnam Satellites
2008:
VINASAT-1
VNPT
2012:
VINASAT-2
VNPT
2013:
VNREDSat-1
[120kg] –
STI/MONRE
PicoDragon
[1kg]
1/2019:
MicroDragon
[50kg]
2023:
LOTUSat-1
[570kg]
2021:
NanoDragon
[4kg]
Manage and develop by other agencies
Manage and develop by VNSC
© NEC
10

11. Existing and On-Going
Space Facilities in Vietnam
VNREDSat-1 Operation Center
VNREDSat-1 Satellite
Satellite Operation
Center
Mission Data Utilization
Center
LOTUSat-1 SAR Satellite
R&D Center
2008 2013 2022
Vietnam
Space
Center
Project
(VNSC)
MONRE National Remote Sensing Center - VNGS
VNPT - VINASAT project: 02 Satellites and 02 TT&C
11

12. VIETNAM DATACUBE
12
• Data: Landsat, Sentinel-1&-2,
ALOS-2,…
• Provide 3 types of data/
information:
• RS data from providers
• Analysis ready data (ARD)
• Remote Sensing products
CEOS 2019: Forrest, rice, CO2 monitoring GIS + IoT realtime system

13. International cooperation
The 48th Meeting of the Working Group on
Information Systems & Services
Space Application For Environment –
SAFE Workshop
GLOBE Asia Pacific Regional Meeting
in HCM City
Vietnam School of Earth Observation
Vietnam – USTH – CNES 13

14. International cooperation
Space exploration with former NASA
Administrator inside the planetarium,
Hoa Lac Observatory
Space Day with Former Astronaut Mr. Charles
Bolden in Ho Chi Minh City
International Symposium on
SAR Data Cubes and SAR X-band
Meeting of the CEOS Land Surface Imaging
Virtual Constellation
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