Three corporate giants have submitted bids for constructing Vietnam's first satellite worth about 200 million dollars, a senior Vietnamese official said Thursday. The French Alcatel's Alenia Space, Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems from the United States and Sumitomo Corp of Japan, attended bidding for the project, the official of the Vinasat Committee in charge of the project told AFP.
The period for considering the bidding will last 180 days from February 13.
The satellite carrying up to 20 communication modules would have to be launched before the second quarter of 2008 in order not to lose an orbital position booked years ago.
It is expected to be operational for 15 years and help transmit television, radio and civil aviation signals covering remote regions of the country.
Vietnam has delayed the project several times as it faced difficulties in coordinating frequencies with neighbouring satellites already in orbit.
The project is a priority for the government, which is keen to acquire a powerful symbol of its sovereignty and technological abilities.
Source: Agence France-Presse
