PM Modi congratulates Brazil's Bolsonaro as ISRO places Amazonia-1 satellite in orbit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Sunday on the successful launch of the Amazonia-1 satellite, the first one from Brazil to be launched from India, terming it as a "historic moment". 

PM Modi took to Twitter after ISRO's launch and said,  "Congratulations President Jair Bolsonaro on the successful launch of Brazil's Amazonia-1 satellite by PSLV-C51. This is a historic moment in our space cooperation and my felicitations to the scientists of Brazil."

Earlier today, PM Modi congratulated ISRO on its first dedicated commercial launch of PSLV-C51/ Amazonia-1 mission, and tweeted, "Congratulations to NSIL and ISRO on the success of the 1st dedicated commercial launch of PSLV-C51/Amazonia-1 Mission. This ushers in a new era of Space reforms in the country. 18 co-passengers included four small satellites that showcase the dynamism and innovation of our youth."

ISRO successfully completed its first launch of 2021 on Sunday. The headline payload was Brazil's 637-kg Amazonia-1 optical earth observation satellite. Amazonia-1 was placed in orbit seventeen minutes after its lift-off aboard the PSLV-C51 rocket and a minute after the rocket's PS4 engine cut off. India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C51 (PSLV-C51) carrying Brazil's Amazonia-1 as its primary passenger also facilitated the launch of 18-other student satellites as part of its mission under ISRO's National Space Promotion and Authorisation Center (IN-SPACe ). Amazonia-1 along with the other satellites will monitor deforestation and study the diverse agriculture of Brazilian lands.  The rocket journeyed for two hours and eight minutes as it placed all its satellites in orbits, in approximately four minutes. ISRO immediately took it to Twitter and announced the successful completion of the mission and wrote, "All co-passenger satellites separated from PSLV-C51. Mission accomplished.."

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Brazil's Amazonia-1 Satellite

The earth observatory satellite of Brazil's National Institute for Space Research (INPE) will fetch remote sensing data to users that will be further utilized to monitor deforestation in the Amazon region and the diverse agriculture across the Brazilian territory will also be analyzed, said Marcos Ceaser Pontes, Brazil's Minister for Science, Technology, and Innovation at the launch event. 
Pontes stressed that the successful placement of Amazonia-1 in the orbit was very important for Brazil's overall development. He added "It represents a new era for the Brazilian Satellite Industry. There could be no better place than to bein India with all our partnerships and this is one step for the partnership that will be going to grow. We are going to work together, a lot. Today is the beginning of stronger relations between both countries."

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