Vietnam’s Academy of Science and Technology hosted a seminar on Vietnam – Japan cooperation in space technology in Hanoi September 20, as part of the activities concerning the Vietnam space centre project.

Participants agreed that bilateral cooperation in space technology has made it possible for Japan to invest in the sector and help develop science and space technologies in the country.

They also heard reports on satellite operations and technologies and their use in managing natural disasters, an aerospace engineering training programme and cooperation opportunities offered by the University of Tokyo .

Sitting on a 9-hectare site at Hoa Lac hi-tech park, the Vietnam space centre was started last year at a total cost of 54.4 billion JPY (700 million USD). Of this, 46.5 billion JPY was in official development assistance from the Japanese Government.

Once completed in 2020, the centre will specialise in designing and controlling smaller satellites for forecasting natural disasters, assessing agricultural and aquatic output, updating e-maps for land planning management and help the country cope with global climate change.-VNA