ISRO's First Mission In 2021: Countdown Begins For Indian Rocket To Launch Brazilian Satellite 'Amazonia-1' Today

ISRO is all set for its first launch of 2021 on Sunday. If the weather remains favorable then the launch is scheduled to take place at 10.24 am today.

Image Courtesy: Twitter/@ISRO

ISRO First Mission in 2021: ISRO is all set for its first launch of 2021 on Sunday. As per the schedule, the Indian Space Research Organisation will for the first time use an Indian rocket to launch a Brazilian satellite for from Sriharikota spaceport on Sunday.  The countdown for the launch commenced on Saturday. 

Filling of oxidizer for the second stage(PS2) of PSLVC51 has also completed

According to ISRO, this will be their first mission of the year 2021 and is scheduled to take place at 10.24 am today.

Sharing this information, ISRO took to Twitter and posted on social media micro-blogging website, " Countdown for the launch of #PSLVC51/Amazonia-1 mission commenced today at 0854Hrs (IST) from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota. The launch is scheduled tomorrow at 1024 Hrs IST." 

Along with Amazonia-1, 18 other co-passenger satellites will also be onboard the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C51). 

PSLV-C51 rocket, which is the 53rd mission of PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle), will launch Amazonia-1 of Brazil as primary satellite 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). A picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been engraved on the top panel of this spacecraft. 

"This is 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. 

Big Day for NSIL

It is one of the most important days for Bengaluru-headquartered ISRO's commercial arm NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) as PSLV-C51/Amazonia-1 is the first dedicated commercial mission of NSIL, which is undertaking it under a commercial arrangement with Seattle, US-based satellite rideshare and mission management provider, Spaceflight Inc. 

"We are eagerly looking forward to the launch. We are very proud to launch the first Brazilian-built satellite, Chairman and Managing Director of NSIL, G Narayanan, told PTI.

(With PTI inputs)