ISRO begins its countdown to launch Brazilian satellite on 'National Science Day'

Sriharikota, February 27: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has begun its countdown to launch its’s PSLV-C51/ Amazonia-1 from Sriharikota. It should be noted that it will be ISRO's first mission in 2021. Ironically, ISRO is launching the mission on the occasion of the 'National Science Day' on February 28 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) at 10:24 pm on Sunday.

 

 

With the 53 mission of PSLV, ISRO is launching Amazonia-1 of Brazil as primary satellite and 18 co-passenger satellites. Amazonia1 will be the first Brazilian Satellite to be launched from India. According to the ISRO's statement, ISRO has completed the launch rehearsal of PSLV-C51 on 25 February.

 

 

 

 

This mission also marks the first dedicated commercial mission of ISRO’s commercial nodal agency, the NewSpace India Limited or NSIL. NSIL is undertaking this mission under a commercial arrangement with Seattle, US-based satellite rideshare and mission management provider, Spaceflight Inc.

 

 

Amazonia-1 is the optical earth observation satellite of the National Institute for Space Research (INPE). "This satellite would further strengthen the existing structure by providing remote sensing data to users for monitoring deforestation in the Amazon region and analysis of diversified agriculture across the Brazilian territory", the statement said.

 

 

Apart from Amazonia, ISRO is also launching the 18 co-passenger satellites which include four from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (three UNITYsats from a consortium of three Indian academic institutes and one Satish Dhawan Sat from Space Kidz India) and 14 from NSIL.

 

 

In view of the strict COVID-19 pandemic norms, ISRO has not planned any media gathering at the Sriharikota. However, the live telecast of the launch will be available on the ISRO website, Youtube, Facebook, and Twitter channels.

 

 

 

Every year India celebrates National Science Day on 28 February to commemorate the discovery of prominent scientist CV Raman. On this day in 1928, the great Indian physicist invented the Raman Effect and even won the Nobel Prize in 1930 for the same. This year, the theme of National Science Day 2021 is "Future of STI: Impacts on Education, Skills, and Work".