PSLV-C51 launch rehearsal completed, ISRO announces mission launch date

- First Earth Observation Satellite developed entirely by Brazil

New delhi date. Thursday, February 25, 2021

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has announced via Twitter that the launch rehearsal of PSLV-C51 has been completed and the rocket will be launched on February 28 at 10:24 am. PSLV-C51 is the 53rd mission of the Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle Program.

ISRO will launch Brazil's Amazonia-1 and 20 other satellites from the spaceport at Sriharikota on February 28 in the first dedicated commercial mission of the recently formed Newspace India Limited (NSIL). According to ISRO, the satellites will be launched by the space agency's rocket PSLV-C51 on February 28 with the weather in mind.

PSLV-C51 is NSIL's first dedicated commercial launch mission. The Amazonia-1 satellite will be the primary payload of the mission, as clarified by ISRO. It is the first Earth Observation Satellite developed entirely by Brazil.

ISRO tweeted that this would be Brazil's first satellite to be launched by India. Amazonia-1 is an optical earth observation satellite of the National Space Research Organization (INPE). The satellite will help monitor deforestation in the Amazon region and analyze various crops in the Brazilian region. Along with this rocket, 20 other satellites will also be launched.