ISRO's first mission in 2021 will launch Brazilian satellite Amazonia-1 and three Indian payloads - including one built by a home-grown start-up - on February 28, reported PTI.
The satellites will be launched onboard the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) C-51 at 10:24 am from the Sriharikota spaceport, over 100 km from Chennai.?
According to the report by PTI, Secretary in the Department of Space, and Chairman of Bengaluru-headquartered ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation), K Sivan, confirmed the PSLV-C51 schedule.
Also read:?ISRO Engineer Converts Old Car Into Mini Excavator
Amazonia-1 is reportedly the first earth observation satellite which is entirely developed by Brazil. It is the primary payload.?
Satellites 'Anand', 'Satish Dhawan' and 'UNITYsat' will be the co-passengers.
'Anand' is built by Indian space startup Pixxel while 'Satish Dhawan Satellite' is made by Chennai-based Space Kidz India.
UNITYsat is a combination of three satellites designed and built as a joint development by Jeppiaar Institute of Technology, Sriperumpudur (JITsat), GH Raisoni College of Engineering, Nagpur (GHRCEsat) and Sri Shakthi Institute of Engineering and Technology, Coimbatore (Sri Shakthi Sat).
"PSLV-C51 marks the launch of the country's first commercial private remote-sensing satellite (Anand) on an ISRO PSLV rocket", an ISRO official said.
Also read:?Two Friends Will Send India's 1st Private Earth-Imaging Satellite On ISRO Rocket
Earlier, Mr Sivan had described the upcoming mission as "special for us, special for the entire country" and beginning of a "new era of space (sector) reforms."
Pixxel CEO, Awais Ahmed had said: "We are elated with the fact that India's first commercial private satellite will now launch on an Indian rocket. This is not only a proud moment for us as an organisation but also as citizens to work with our nations capabilities."
Bengaluru-based Pixxel has said it plans to build a constellation of 30 satellites by 2023.
The company inaugurated it's latest facility in Bengaluru in January 2021.