Boosting Vietnam’s Digital and Space Economies

A collaboration between Boeing, Australia’s national science agency CSIRO, and the Vietnam National Space Center (VNSC) is aiming to improve environmental monitoring and sustainable agriculture in Vietnam.

In 2020, the three joined forces to help increase Vietnamese capability for collecting and analysing satellite data.

Dr Amy Parker, CSIRO Project Lead explained how satellite Earth observation data provides a unique vantage point and perspective to understanding how our world works.

“Accessing this data can help to better understand natural and built systems, such as monitoring land use, air quality and waterways, or measuring crop productivity,” Dr Parker said.

This collaboration, co-funded by Boeing and CSIRO, has several key objectives:
• Connect Vietnamese private and public sector stakeholders who work with satellite data;
• Assess barriers to satellite-related research and business growth
• Identify how advanced satellite datasets and new computer technologies can enable groups to overcome challenges and develop new satellite data tools and products.

Expanding partnerships and shared vision

“Boeing and CSIRO have worked on cooperative research and development projects for more than 33 years, and both have an enduring partnership with Vietnam,” said Summer Locke, Project Co-Lead and Boeing Technical Fellow.

“This program is the first demonstrator of extending the global reach of our partnership into regions beyond Australia and the U.S.”

CSIRO has collaborated with Vietnam on a number of important science and technology initiatives. Such as establishing the Vietnam Data Cube in 2018, in partnership with the VNSC and the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology. The Vietnam Data Cube is a data analytics platform that improves usability and interoperability of satellite images for environmental research.

Boeing has deep experience with satellites that dates back to the start of the Space Age; Boeing-built satellites provide advanced space and communications systems for military, commercial and scientific uses. Additionally, the company has developed significant data analytics capabilities for commercial and defence customers.

Boeing has worked with Vietnam since 1995 to enable its aviation industry. In recognition of Vietnam’s rapidly expanding aviation market, its diverse economy, and its investment in a highly-skilled workforce, Boeing announced in August 2021 that it had opened its first office in Hanoi.

This article is also available in Vietnamese.