Chennai, Feb 27 :The 22.5 hour countdown for tomorrow’s

launch of PSLV-C51, which would be carrying 637 kg Brazillian

Satellite Amazonia-1 and 18 co-passenger satellites, began at

0854 hrs on Saturday at the spaceport of Sriharikota, about

100 km from here.

‘Countdown for the launch of PSLV-C51/Amazonia-1 mission

commenced today at 0854Hrs from Satish Dhawan Space

Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota’, ISRO tweeted.

The launch would take place from the First Launch Pad at

1024 hrs on Sunday.

This would be one of the longest mission for the Space Agency

that would last nearly two hours.

This would be the first mission of this year and the first dedicated

commercial mision for the newly formed NewSpace India Limited

(NSIL).

After the Launch Authorisation Board (LAB) cleared the mission,

the countdown commenced today during which propellant filling

operations would be taken up in the 44.4 m tall four-stage vehicle.

In this mission, the fourth stage engine would be cut off and

restarted twice.

About 17 minutes after the launch, the fourth stage engine

would be cut off following which Amazonia-1 will get separated

and injected into the orbit.

About 44 minutes later, the fourth stage engine would be restarted

for nine seconds and cut off before restarting it for the second

time 30 minutes later when the co-passenger satellites would get

separated and injected into the Polar Sun Synchronous Orbit.

ISRO would be using the ‘DL’ variant of PSLV equipped with two

solid strap-on boosters for this mission.

This would be the first launch of 2021, 39th from the First Launch

Pad, 78th Launch Vehicle Mission from SDSC SHAR, 53rd flight of

PSLV, third flight of PSLV-DL and the first ‘dedicated PSLV

commercial mission for NSIL being undertaken under a commercial

agreement the Spaceflight Ic. USA.

Amazonia-1 is the optical earth observation satellie of National

Institute for Space Research (INPE), Brazil.

This is the first satellite which is completely designed, integrated,

tested and operated by INPE. It has a life span of four years.

The Amazonia-1 mission would further strengthen the existing

structure by providing remote sensing data to users for monitoring,

deforestation in the Amazon region and analysis of diversified

agriculture across the Brazillian territory.

The 18 co-passenger satellites include four from IN-SPACe (three

UNITYsats from consortium of three Indian academic institutes and

One Satish Dhawan Sat from Space Kidz India) and 14 from NSIL.

The commercial co-passengers satellites are India’s SindhuNetra

and SAI-1 NanoConnect-2 of USA–both for technology demonstration

–and 12 Space BEEs satellites from USA for two-way satellite

communications and data relay.

SDSAT, a nano satellite built by Space Kidz India, is intended

to study the radtional levels/space weather and demonstrate long

range communication technologies.

UNITYsat is the combination of three satellites. It is designed

and built as a joint development by Jeppiar Institute of Technology

(JITsat), G H Raisoni College of Engineering-Nagpur (CGHRCEsat)

and Sri Shakthi Institute of Engineering and Technology, Coimbatore

(Sri Shakthi Sat).

This satellite is intended for providing Radio relay services. (UNI)