India launches Brazil's Amazonia-1 18 other satellites

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Sriharikota (AP), Feb 28 (PTI) In the first dedicated
mission of its commercial arm NSIL, the ISRO on Sunday
successfully launched Brazil's earth observation satellite
Amazonia-1 and 18 other co-passengers, including five built by
students, onboard a Polar rocket from the spaceport here.
The satellites were placed in precise orbits one after
another after the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV-C51
lifted off at 10.24 am from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre
(SHAR), in the first mission this year for the Indian Space
Research Organisation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated ISRO on the
success of the first dedicated commerciallaunch mission of
PSLV-C51/Amazonia-1, saying it ushers in a new era of space
reforms in the country.
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Telangana Chief
Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao also lauded ISRO, whose tally of
foreign sattelites launched rose to 342 with today's mission.
The co-passengers included Satish Dhawan Satellite (SD-
SAT) nano satellite from Chennai-based Space Kidz India (SKI)
which is engraved with a picture of Modi and also carried
Bhagavad Gita in a Secured Digital card format.
According to SKI, the picture of Modi has been engraved
on the top panel of the spacecraft to show solidarity and
gratitude for his Atma Nirbhar initiative and space sector
reforms.
Of the five built by students, the SD-SAT is intended to
study radiation levels among others, while UNITYsat, a three-
in-one satellite by universities, is for providing radio relay
service and SindhuNetra developed by Bengaluru-based PES
University would be used for identifying suspicious ships
through satellite imaging, officials said.
Amazonia-1, a fully Brazil built satellite with a mission
life of four years, is intended for providing remote sensing
data to users for monitoring deforestation in the Amazon
region and analysis of diversified agriculture across the
Brazilian territory.
SKI said besides the picture of Modi, it was also sending
25,000 names on-board the SD-SAT.
"Congratulations to NSIL (NewSpace India Limited) and
@isro on the success of the 1st dedicated commerciallaunch of
PSLV-C51/Amazonia-1 Mission. This ushers in a new era of space
reforms in the country," Modi tweeted.
The prime minister also congratulated Brazilian president
Jair Bolsonaro on the successful launch of Amazonia-1, and
said this is a historic moment in space cooperation between
the two countries.
Earlier, at the end of the 25.5 hour countdown, the
four-stage 44.4 metre tall PSLV, a workhorse launch vehicle of
ISRO in its 53rd mission, soared into clear a sky at the
scheduled time of 10.24 am from the first launch pad here,
over 100 kms from Chennai.
"After a flight of about 17 minutes, the vehicle injected
the Amazonia-1 into its intended orbit and in the succeeding 1
hour 38 minutes, all 18 co-passenger satellites successfully
separated from the PSLV in a pre-determined sequence," the
ISRO said.
Describing it as a special mission for the country, ISRO
Chairman K Sivan said the agency guided the universities in
building the satellites, adding it will enthuse industry and
academic institutions to build their own satellites in future.
Sivan, also the secretary, Department of Space, said the
mission was also special as the five satellites come under the
new space reforms announced by the Union Government last year.
The Centre has decided to open up the space sector to
private enterprises to carry out space activities like
building rockets, satellites and providing launch services.
Sunday's mission was also the first dedicated launch by
the New Space India Limited (NSIL), a PSU set up under the
Department of Space in 2019, which undertook it under a
commercial arrangement with Spaceflight Inc, a satellite
rideshare and mission management provider based in Seattle,US.
The co-passenger satellites placed in the orbit are --
four from ISRO's Indian National Space Promotion and
Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) and 14 from NSIL, including 13
from the USA.
Brazilian Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation
Marcos Pontes, who witnessed the launch here, said this was
the beginning of a stronger relationship between his country
and India.
Appreciating ISRO for the successful launch, he said,
India and Brazil would work together a lot.
"...I am talking here on behalf of the Brazilian
government. We are going to work together and we are going to
win together..", he said, speaking at the mission control
centre here.
Sivan said: "Today is a very great day for the entire
ISRO team and the PSLV-C51 is a special mission for India. Let
me congratulate and compliment the team ISRO for achieving the
precise injection of AMAZONIA-1 and 18 other satellites," he
said.
"India and ISRO feel extremely proud and honoured to
launch the first satellite designed, integrated and operated
by Brazil. Hearty congratulations to the Brazilian team for
this achievement," he said.
The 637-kg Amazonia-1 which became the first Brazilian
satellite to be launched from India is an optical earth
observation satellite of National Institute for Space Research
(INPE).
The universities involved in UNITYsat development are
Jeppiar Institute of Technology, Sriperumbudur (JITsat), G H
Raisoni College of Engineering, Nagpur (GHRCEsat), Sri
Shakthi Institute of Engineering and Technology, Coimbatore
(Sri Shakthi Sat).
"The universities have done a very excellent job and ISRO
has promoted and helped them to ensure that the satellites are
built correctly and ensure that it is launched precisely into
the orbit. I am sure that this mission will enthuse many
people across the country to build their satellites," Sivan
said.
The SD-SAT is intended to study radiation levels, space
weather and demonstrate long range communication technologies.
Sunday's launch also marked the 78th mission from
Sriharikota and with this the number of foreign satellites
launched by ISRO has risen to 342 from 34 countries.
In view of COVID-19 pandemic, strict norms were in place
at the launch centre and gathering of media personnel was not
allowed while the public gallery remained closed. PTI VIJ
VS VS

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)