(VOVworld) – Japan's HTV4 cargo spacecraft yesterday launched Vietnam’s micro satellite Pico Dragon to the International Space Station. The satellite was sent along with 3 NASA satellites from the Tanegashima Space Center. HTV4 is expected to arrive at the space station on August 9.

The spacecraft carrying Pico Dragon lands off. (Photo: Kyodo/VNA)

The 10x10x11.35 centimeter cube weighing about one kilogram is the first micro satellite developed by the Vietnamese engineers and researchers of the National Satellite Center. The Pico Dragon is programmed to capture images of the earth, collect space environment data, and test communication systems.