Team work and collaboration are necessary to achieve the greatness, in short humanity should win in the end. So many space agencies are collaborating and making the steps and resources useful for the human race development. Last day, India launched its first mission of the year late, sending Brazil’s Amazonia-1 Earth observation satellite and 18 smaller payloads into orbit.
The countdown commenced at 08.54 hours on Saturday. Subject to weather conditions, the blastoff for the PSLV-C51/Amazonia-1 mission was scheduled at 10.24 am today. PSLV-C51 rocket, which is the 53rd mission of PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle), launched Amazonia-1 of Brazil as primary satellite and 18 co-passenger payloads from the first launch pad of the Sriharikota spaceport in Andhra Pradesh’s Nellore district, about 100 kms from Chennai. These co-passenger satellites include Satish Dhawan Sat (SD SAT) from Chennai-based Space Kidz India (SKI).
The PSLV injected the roughly 700-kilogram Amazonia-1 into its intended Sun-synchronous orbit 17 minutes after launch. The further 18 passengers were released over the subsequent 98 minutes in accordance with a predetermined sequence.
The mission was hailed as the first dedicated commercial mission of NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), a Government of India company under the Department of Space.
A picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been engraved on the top panel of this spacecraft to show “solidarity and gratitude for his (PM’s) Aatmanirbhar initiative and space privatisation”, said SKI, which is also sending up “Bhagavad Gita” in SD (secured digital) card.
The 18 co-passenger satellites are: four from ISRO’s Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (three UNITYsats from consortium of three Indian academic institutes and the SD SAT from SKI) and 14 from NSIL.
It carries a wide-view optical imager (camera with 3 frequency bands in the visible spectrum – VIS – and 1 band near the infrared – Near Infrared) capable of observing a 850 km range with 64 meters of resolution.
Amazonia-1 is the first Earth observation satellite completely designed, integrated, tested and operated by Brazil. INPE plans to launch two further satellites in the series. INPE of Brazil contracted Spaceflight Inc. to secure the launch.
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