Khanh's Gallery

While mathematics or theoretical physics may be fortunate enough to receive some level of investment, the position of astronomy in our country remains incredibly modest, if not to say negligible.

In December 2011, during his most recent visit to Vietnam, Prof. Trinh Xuan Thuan—a Vietnamese-American astrophysicist at the University of Virginia—frankly remarked: “I believe that Vietnam does not yet have an astronomy sector. Vietnam does not possess a single telescope capable of conducting sky surveys or observing the universe in its entirety.”

Prof. Trinh Xuan Thuan’s “companion” is translator Pham Van Thieu—Deputy Secretary-General of the Vietnam Physics Society. He is the man who has tirelessly worked to translate and popularize the astronomical works of Prof. Thuan and many world-renowned astrophysicists in Vietnam. Mr. Thieu shared: “To say astronomy is a luxury for Vietnam is not entirely accurate, but we simply lack the conditions. Even if we wanted to, we couldn’t do anything. For instance, there is currently no one conducting deep research in this field to justify the development of astronomy.” He pointed out an obvious reality: to conduct research, one must at least have an observatory, yet Vietnam still has none. Apart from factors such as climate, weather, and location (requiring high altitude, clear skies, and distance from city lights to avoid light pollution affecting starlight), constructing an observatory requires one paramount condition: money.

Unlike developed nations like the U.S., where many observatories are funded by private finance, in Vietnam, scientific research in general and fundamental science in particular rely almost entirely on the state budget. (It was not until recently that a lonely private investor appeared in the space sector: F-Space, a research group established in late 2008 under FPT University). Due to the need to allocate resources across many different sectors, astronomy—an incredibly expensive discipline—is forced to stand at the back of the line. Over time, it lags further and further behind the developed world, and even behind a regional neighbor like China. From “lagging behind” to being “forgotten” is, perhaps, only a single step. Meanwhile, regrettably, astronomy possesses highly practical values.

Fostering a Passion for Science

The Vietnamese people inherently possess a passion for science, including astrophysics. This is easily understood because, while appearing to be a distant science, astronomy is actually very intimate and holds a powerful sway over human curiosity. It is not only in observatories or space agencies that people pose questions about planetary motion, the nature of stars, or the origins of galaxies.

Humans observe the universe daily and nightly, clearly recognizing the connection between themselves and the cosmos. The Lunar calendar and astrology are the most typical and rudimentary examples confirming humanity’s immense concern with celestial phenomena. The exquisite beauty of the universe has also been an endless passion for humans from ancient times to the present. This concern and passion are perhaps older and more widespread than any other fundamental science. Vietnam had the perfect opportunity to verify the “catalytic” nature of astronomy on October 24, 1995, when a total solar eclipse occurred in our country, creating a fever across all regions. With the encouragement of the education sector and national television, for the first time in history, simple astronomical knowledge about eclipses was rapidly updated for a vast segment of the population, especially students. A movement for astronomical research was ignited by the effects of that event, manifested by the birth of a series of amateur astronomy clubs and websites.

The fact that Stephen Hawking’s book “A Brief History of Time” has been reprinted up to 10 times in the Vietnamese book market is another example of readers’ interest in the universe and astronomy. Translator Pham Van Thieu did not hide his joy when his popular science books (including those on astrophysics) were sought after by many young people. He shared, “I translate these works to borrow scientific stories to foster a passion for science and a creative spirit. After all, passion and curiosity toward nature are the essence of humanity from ancient times to now; they have never changed. The only issue is how to stir them up.”

Competition in Space Technology: The New Battle

Over a century since the first airplane was born in 1903, human interests no longer stop at the ground. With the advancement of science and technology, humanity’s reach into the sky has widened, and the list of benefits has grown longer. Astronomy, as a fundamental science, has become the premise for space technology applications that effectively serve human needs.

Since the 1950s, astronomical research has helped developed nations place transmission and observation means into Earth’s orbit. Currently, there are up to 5,000 human-made satellites in orbit, yet Vietnam possesses only one. This naturally leads to Vietnam’s reliance on foreign transmission and observation systems, including critically important sectors such as telecommunications and climate monitoring.

The power of developed nations has also been established in outer space, exemplified by the missile defense systems of the United States, with Russia and NATO likely following suit in the future. Although still a long-term concept, the trend of expanding military power to dominate further reaches of space is a reality. Aerospace defense forces have already been established by major military powers like the U.S. and Russia to serve these security purposes.

Professor Trinh Xuan Thuan affirms: “It is true that fundamental scientific research, including astronomy, does not yield immediate benefits in the short term. However, the reality is that countries wishing to develop and prosper must invest in and possess a developed foundation of basic science: the U.S., Europe, and Japan are prime examples. Our neighbor, China, also understands this reality, which is why they are pouring vast amounts of money into space science.”

The depletion of traditional energy sources on Earth also poses the problem of seeking new energy sources, including energy from space, specifically the solution of harvesting solar energy from space and transmitting it back to Earth via specialized satellites. This is also a long-term research objective for astronomical agencies worldwide. Vietnam faces the risk of continued dependence on developed nations in the pivotal, strategic sector of energy.

Applications serving national strategic interests derived from astronomical research are still small compared to the field’s total research output. However, the trend of vying for benefits in space is undeniable, and the advantage belongs to nations pioneering in astronomical research. To limit long-term dependence on major powers, Vietnam needs to consider developing astronomical research as a means to maintain its autonomy in the future.

The Risk of Falling Further Behind

Ever since Vietnam launched the VINASAT-1 satellite into space, there have been concerns that it would be difficult for VINASAT-1 to be effectively managed by Vietnamese experts without a truly capable team of astronomers. We will also be rendered completely powerless if we wish to participate in space defense alliances or share future space-harvested energy resources with other nations. Without reaching global standards and acquiring global astronomical knowledge, falling further behind is a clearly foreseeable consequence, evident right from the stage of technology transfer.

In the book “Dictionary for Lovers of the Sky and Stars” (his latest popular science work, translated by Pham Van Thieu and published by Tri Thuc Publishing House in 2011), Prof. Trinh Xuan Thuan wrote: “History has proven that even the most abstract theories inevitably lead to applications in daily life.” The concerns regarding the research of such an expensive science as astronomy are real, but it is also necessary to formulate appropriate policy questions to develop astronomy in Vietnam as an investment for immense future benefits.