On February 28, 2021, the successful launch of the Amazonia-1 was carried out from Sriharikota Base, India, the first Earth observation satellite developed by the Brazilian National Institute for Space Research (INPE, in Portuguese). This mission is also a milestone for our country since it included space components developed by Argentina and a training program for Brazilian professionals.
INVAP’s supply to Amazonia-1 was the first space components’ exportation of the country and it included the main on-board computer; the satellite’ s attitude control system, —which consists of electronic boxes for attitude and thrusters control, torque rods and magnetometers, and coarse solar sensors; the latter were jointly manufactured with the National Commission of Atomic Energy (CNEA, in Spanish)—; and all the Earth support equipment for the subsystems provided by INVAP.
The project took more than ten years, during which time INVAP and INPE worked in close association to undertake joint developments and train the Brazilian staff, ensuring the successful technology know-how transfer concerning not only the use of the equipment provided, but also all the knowledge areas essential for designing, building, testing and operating a satellite. The components were delivered in Brazil in 2014, and the contract expired in 2016.
The Amazonia Earth observation mission will allow the monitoring of deforestation, especially at the Amazonian region, and of the diversified agriculture throughout the Brazilian territory that has a high revisit rate, trying to act in synergy with existing environmental programs.
The launch of the Amazonia-1 mission makes INVAP a leading reliable company in the space Latin American market, where collaboration, know-how transfer and joint work, in a shared cultural environment, guarantee the development of highly complex projects.
