ISRO to launch PSLV-C51 on February 28 with 1 Brazil & 20 Indian satellites onboard

Announcing India's first space mission of 2021, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) said that it would launch 21 satellites from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota on February 28, subject to weather conditions. Onboard the PSLV-C51 will be Amazonia-1 of Brazil as the primary satellite along with 20 co-passenger satellites at 10:23 AM on February 28, ISRO stated. The launch will be the first one to mark the entry of private players in space after the Indian government brought in reforms in the space sector last year. 

"PSLV-C51/Amazonia-1 is the first dedicated commercial mission of NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), a Government of India company under Department of Space. NSIL is undertaking this mission under a commercial arrangement with Spaceflight Inc. USA," ISRO said in a statement on Friday. 

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Satellite to monitor deforestation in Amazon

The Brazilian satellite, which will be the primary one on board the 53rd PSLV mission, is an optical earth observation satellite of the National Institute for Space Research (INPE). Amazonia-1 aims at strengthening 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 20 co-passenger satellites include one from ISRO (INS-2TD), four from IN-SPACe (three UNITYsats from consortium of three Indian academic institutes and One Satish Dhawan Sat from Space Kidz India) and 15 from NSIL," ISRO added. 

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ISRO's last mission was the successfull launch of communication satellite CMS-01 on December 17. CMS-01 onboard the PSLV-C50 was ISRO's second launch during the COVID-19 pandemic and aimed at putting India's 42nd communications satellite in orbit. The CMS-01 is expected to provide coverage over the entire country in cases of disaster management and satellite internet connection. The new CMS-01 satellite will replace the current GSAT-12 in orbit, which was launched in 2011. 

On November 7 last year, the PSLV in its 51st flight successfully launched EOS-01 along with nine international customer satellites from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) from Sriharikota. PSLV-C49 lifted-off at 1511 Hrs (IST) from the First Launch Pad of SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota. After 15 minutes and 20 seconds, EOS-01 was successfully injected into its orbit. Subsequently, nine commercial satellites were injected into their intended orbits.

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