Asia’s first satellite image receiver unveiled in Ha Noi

News Desk
Viet Nam News
Publication Date: 12-07-2009

The ENVISAT satellite image station, which will process geographical satellite images, has officially opened in Ha Noi.

The station, in Minh Khai Commune of Ha Noi’s outlying Tu Liem District, was built at a cost of nearly 20 million euros (US$27.9 million), in the form of official development assistance from France.

The station represents the most important component of the project to build a natural resources and environmental monitoring system in Viet Nam, funded by the French Government.

Viet Nam’s station is the first in Asia capable of receiving ENVISAT (Environmental Satellite) images. Thus far, ENVISAT images have only been processed by stations in Europe.

The station has been installed with the most advanced technology of the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company, with better automatic features than other stations in the region.
It can receive, process, set categories and store data sent via satellite.

The satellite images can be used in current land inventory assessments, forest observation and inventory, national geographic data updates, sea and island mapping, and pollution and flood observation.

In the three years of unofficial operation that have passed so far, the station has received and processed approximately 150,000 satellite images.

Speaking at the ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai asked the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to use the station effectively and to foster the development of relevant ministries, sectors and regions.

He said that the station would help the country improve work related to flood prevention and fighting and to better cope with climate change.