VISTA

The Vietnam Space Technology Agency (VISTA) (Cơ quan công nghệ vũ trụ Việt Nam) is Vietnam's national aerospace and space agency. VISTA is responsible for research, development, and launch of satellites, exploration probes and manned missions to the ISS in coordination with Japan's JAXA and Europe's European Space Agency launch pads, and is involved in many more advanced missions such as asteroid exploration and possible human exploration of Mars.

Headquarters
VISTA is headquartered in Saigon at 54 Ly Avenue since June 2020. The complex is an expansive and state-of-the-art research and development campus just north of the capital and Royal Palace.

VISTA was formerly headquartered at the Culture Ministry building (1966-2020).

Budget
VISTA's budget since the launch of the Greek Project has averaged ƒ1.3 billion. For FY2019, the agency's budget was ƒ1.8 billion due to increased cost for the development of the Nicholas satellite (VISTA-37).

International partnerships
Vietnam has been a participant in the International Space Station's (ISS) development since 2003. Since 2003, 15 Vietnamese astronauts have visited the ISS aboard NASA and ESA missions.

Project Nike
In his 2019 June Speech, King Nicholas invoked US President Kennedy's 1962 sentiment of going to the Moon by urging Vietnam to aim for human exploration of Mars within the decade. In VISTA's 2020 budget, ƒ100 million was set aside for Project Nike—Vietnam's initial foray into domestic manned space flight—with the Nike One rocket's development.