AMN / WEB DESK
India today successfully launched Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C51 (PSLV-C51) rocket loaded with 19 satellites from Brazil, USA and India lifted off from the rocket port at Sriharikota successfully at the precise timing at 10.24 this morning.
After four stages of separation, the rocket launched Brazil’s 637 kilogram Amazonia 1 satellite as its primary passenger and later after a gap of more than an hour it launched the remaining 18 passenger satellites. This is the first commercial mission of New space India limited.
India’s first space mission for 2021 is one of the longest for a PSLV rocket which concluded in an hour, 55 minutes and 7 seconds into its flight. Amazonia-1 is the optical earth observation satellite of National Institute for Space Research (INPE).
Speaking after witnessing the launch, former astronaut and Brazilian Minister for Science and technology Marcos Caeser Portes said that the 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.
Expressing happiness at the launch today, he said that Brazil looks forward to working with India in the space field.
The CMD of New Space India G.Narayanan told that when the rest of the world was reeling under the cloud of Corona, Indian space sector awoke to the new launch of the year 2021.
Lead scientist of Space Kidz India Rifath Shaarookh told AIR that three scientific payloads in the Satish Dhawan satellite will monitor the ionising radiation in the orbit to identify how radiation affects the onboard systems of the satellite during solar emission among other things.
ISRO chairman Dr.Sivan said that Amazonia was launched at the precise orbit. He told that ISRO was extremely proud honoured and happy to launch the satellite designed integrated and operated by Brazil for the first time.