Telepix's Marine Ecosystem Carbon Absorption Satellite in Orbit

TelePIX has taken an innovative step to uncover the secrets of marine ecosystems and combat climate change. Its self-developed blue carbon monitoring satellite, 'BlueBON,' has successfully entered its mission orbit, ushering in a new era of marine carbon sink observation. According to TelePIX's announcement on the 5th, BlueBON, which was launched on January 14th aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, USA, completed stable communication and functional checks after successful deployment on January 22nd, with its entry into mission orbit finally confirmed on January 27th. BlueBON's core mission is to precisely observe marine blue carbon, including Sargassum, which are carbon sinks. To achieve this, it is equipped with a multispectral camera uniquely developed by TelePIX, allowing for efficient identification of the quantity and distribution of floating seaweed with significantly improved spatial resolution and spectral channels compared to existing satellites. Park Young-je, head of TelePIX's Future Innovation Technology Research Institute, emphasized that "it is a satellite capable of observing the global distribution of seaweed habitats without direct access to the ocean," and highlighted that TelePIX self-developed everything from satellite system components to onboard software and satellite information analysis solutions. Particularly noteworthy technology is the high-performance artificial intelligence (AI) processor for satellites, 'TetraFlex'. This GPU-based edge computing solution performs AI model inference and image processing directly in space, and is expected to provide Sargassum analysis results with a resolution more than 2,500 times higher than current South Korean government services. BlueBON's innovativeness has already received international recognition by winning an Innovation Award in the 'Human Security for All' category at CES 2024, the world's largest ICT exhibition, marking the first time for a South Korean satellite system company. Blue carbon possesses superior carbon absorption and storage capabilities compared to green carbon, which are terrestrial carbon sinks, making it essential for responding to the climate crisis and improving marine environments. The monitoring information collected by BlueBON will play a crucial role in the global carbon credit market. After system stabilization, TelePIX plans to expand its global business and pave the way for satellite exports through discussions on data sales with various overseas organizations and companies, including those in Saudi Arabia. Director Park Young-je projected the future, stating, "BlueBON is a project that clearly demonstrates TelePIX's position as a total satellite solution company encompassing both upstream and downstream, and it will establish us as a leader in the future global carbon market."