Vietnam will send its second satellite into orbit on May 16, the Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group (VNPT), on Thursday.

VNPT said that after the first one, VINASAT-1, was launched in 2008, VINASAT-2 is to promote Vietnam's telecommunication market to meet the requirements of clients, maintain orbital positions and build upon existing VINASAT-1 infrastructure, which is running out of capacity.

With a total investment of 300 million U.S. dollars, VINASAT-2, constructed by U.S.-based Lockheed Martin, is expected to boost local expertise and further develop Vietnam's satellite communications technology as well as communication among fishermen at sea, weather forecasts and defense security.

The new satellite has a larger capacity, heavier weight, greater number of sensor responses, and higher bandwidth capacity than the previous one. VINASAT-2 will focus on the Ku-band transponders, which provide radio, television and telephone transmission services for all of Vietnam and other parts of the Southeast Asia region.

VINASAT-2, with an expected life expectancy of 15 years, will be launched from the Guiana Space Center at the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

Currently, about 90 percent of VINASAT-1's capacity has been tapped, said VNPT.

Source: Xinhua News Agency