ISRO chief K Sivan confirms 14 missions, including Gaganyaan, 'lined up' in 2021

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) chairman K Sivan after the successful launch of Amazona-1 of Brazil and 18 other satellites, has affirmed that the space organization has its "hands full" with 14 missions for launch in 2021, including its first-ever unmanned mission later this year. 

While addressing the scientists at the Mission Control Centre, Sivan said, "Definitely our hands are full. We are going to have something like 14 missions this year. Seven vehicle launch missions and six satellite missions, as well as our first unmanned space mission before the Gaganyaan-manned space mission. 

"The Gaganyaan-manned mission involves sending three Indians to space by the end of 2022. The four test pilot chosen for this mission are undergoing training in Russia," he added with the hope that his team would rise to the occasion as usual and meet all the targets set by the space organization. 

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Reminding his peers of the ongoing pandemic, Sivan ensured that work at the space organization will take place with all the COVID-19 SOPS in place.

"The new normal instituted at ISRO centers are working well", he said. 

ISRO completes its first launch of 2021

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 ). 

READ: ISRO Successfully Launches PSLV-C51; Brazil's Amazonia-1 satellite Injected Into Orbit

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.."

Thereafter, PM Modi also took to the social networking site and congratulated ISRO on its launch, 

(with inputs from PTI)

READ: PM Modi Congratulates Brazil's Bolsonaro As ISRO Places Amazonia-1 Satellite In Orbit

READ: Brazil Govt Ecstatic As ISRO's Rocket Places Its Amazonia-1 Satellite In Orbit; Hails Ties