The SABIA-Mar has entered the final stage of testing and will be launched in 2027 with technology developed by national companies and institutions
It will also feature a high-sensitivity camera for night observation, in addition to encryption and authentication mechanisms in its command channel. The data captured by the sensors can later be integrated and processed from land using advanced tools.
Space historian Diego Córdova highlighted that the satellite's sensors will also be able to analyze information in infrared and ultraviolet ranges, allowing for the recognition of alterations that are not visible through conventional observation.
As he explained, these capabilities can be particularly useful for detecting luminescence produced by certain vessels during night fishing operations, thus incorporating a new tool for controlling illegal fishing and protecting national maritime resources.
The construction and testing of the satellite are primarily taking place in Bariloche, while various technical tests have been conducted at the Theófilo Tabanera Space Center of CONAE, located in Córdoba.
In addition to CONAE and INVAP, various companies and institutions from the Argentine scientific and technological system are participating. VENG is part of the ground segment and will be the main contractor to operate the satellite once it reaches its orbit.
The National University of La Plata developed the AGR-T receiver for global navigation satellite systems, the first of national origin incorporated into an Argentine Earth observation satellite. Other participants include the National Atomic Energy Commission (CNEA), IMER, and Ascentio, among other stakeholders.
Argentina is moving forward with the launch of the SABIA-Mar, the new national satellite that will enhance surveillance of the Argentine Sea, detect vessels, control activities related to illegal fishing, and monitor ocean ecosystems, and that has already entered the final stage of integration and testing before being sent into space during the first half of 2027.
The mission is led by the National Commission on Space Activities (CONAE) and has INVAP as the main contractor for the construction, integration, and testing of the satellite, which will incorporate optical cameras, advanced sensors, and night observation capabilities to obtain strategic information about the coasts, inland waters, and the vast maritime surface of Argentina.
One of the main objectives of SABIA-Mar will be to produce scientific information about the ocean and its resources, although its capabilities have been expanded to include functions related to maritime security, vessel identification, and monitoring fishing activities.
The project was originally designed to measure sea color and estimate different biophysical variables related to ocean productivity. Among the products it will be able to generate are chlorophyll-a maps, ocean reflectance, turbidity, photosynthetically available radiation, and coefficients related to light penetration in water.
The system will have a revisit time of approximately two days, with a spatial resolution of 200 meters for regional scenarios and 800 meters for global observations.
The capabilities of the new satellite will exceed environmental observation. SABIA-Mar will provide information aimed at locating and identifying collaborative and non-cooperative vessels, a tool that will expand the available capabilities for monitoring Argentine maritime spaces.
