Overview
- CONAE confirmed on Monday that SABIA‑Mar has moved into final assembly, integration and testing at INVAP’s laboratories in San Carlos de Bariloche.
- The satellite is designed to measure ocean color to support fisheries planning, pollution monitoring and early warning of harmful algal blooms.
- A high‑sensitivity night optical sensor will map light emissions at sea for vessel geolocation and will be cross‑checked with AIS records to help detect ships that switch off transmitters.
- Core hardware built in Argentina is already installed, including INVAP’s mission computer and power distribution module and the AGR‑T positioning chip developed by UNLP’s engineering faculty.
- SABIA‑Mar will enter an environmental stress campaign from August through late 2026 and must pass those tests before a conditional launch window in the first half of 2027, with an initial April–May target.