VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam is negotiating to have a position in orbit for its second satellite, Vinasat-2, which is planned for launching in the next 7-8 years, said Deputy Minister of Information and Telecommunications Tran Duc Lai.

Any agency that meets conditions on technology, capital, etc. can be allowed to participate in the second satellite project of Vietnam, Lai said.

According to the official, the successful launch of Vinasat 1 on April 19 is the foundation for the second satellite launching project in the next 7-8 years. To prepare for this, Vietnam has started negotiating with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) to fix an orbit position for the second satellite.

Around one hour after the launch, the satellite land station based in Que Duong, northern province of Ha Tay, received the first signals from Vinasat-1. Deputy General Director of the Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) Pham Ba Thuoc said the satellite is controlled from a major station in Ha Tay and reserve station in the southern province of Binh Duong. Vinasat 1-related services will be supplied as of June 1, 2008.

Six months from Vinasat’s launch date, the US contractor Lockheed Martin will still help Vietnam control the satellite.

Lam Quoc Cuong, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Telecom International Company (VTI), which operates the satellite, said six months ago VTI called for local companies to use Vietnam’s satellite services. VNPT and VTI will be the first customers that use Vinasat-1 services. Vietnam Television (VTV) and the Radio Voice of Vietnam (VOV) have announced they will use Vinasat-1 services.

It is hoped that Vinasat will help local telecom companies save around $15 million from hiring foreign satellites.

(Source: VNE)