TelePIX, a total satellite AI solution provider, announced the successful release of the first high-resolution images captured by BlueBON, the world's first satellite dedicated to monitoring blue carbon-carbon stored in marine ecosystems such as mangrove forests and sargassum beds. BlueBON is a 6U-class CubeSat developed by TelePIX to advance global climate monitoring by observing blue carbon sinks from space. Launched in January 2025 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket as part of the Transporter-12 rideshare mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base, BlueBON successfully reached its target orbit at an altitude of 500 kilometers and has since completed its initial operational phase.
The first images, captured on April 29, showcased the desert region near Alrudood in Yemen's Hadhramaut area. BlueBON is equipped with a proprietary optical payload featuring patented focus adjustment technology developed in-house by TelePIX. The image, taken during initial performance testing, reveals Yemen's desert landscape in intricate detail-its vein-like formations evoking natural patterns reminiscent of leaf structures or human blood vessels. BlueBON's optical payload is the most advanced electro-optical system currently available on a commercial 6U-class satellite. The payload's patented focus-adjustment technology allows for high-resolution imaging (4.8 meters) without requiring additional mechanical systems, making it especially suitable for CubeSats with limited internal volume. TelePIX is the second company worldwide and the first outside the United States to have developed such a capability independently.
In addition to its imaging system, BlueBON is equipped with TetraPLEX, an AI-powered onboard processor also developed by TelePIX. Utilizing GPU-based edge computing, TetraPLEX enables real-time image analysis directly in space, reducing processing time from over six minutes to just 11 seconds. This significantly accelerates the assessment of blue carbon data collected from coastal ecosystems such as seaweed and mangroves. TetraPLEX also incorporates a next-generation, RISC-V-based FPGA high-speed computing solution to ensure reliable and efficient operations in the harsh conditions of space. Over the next three months, TelePIX will secure clearer and more accurate images through radiation correction and focus adjustment under various imaging conditions, to ensure optimal performance. The company also plans to expand its business areas, including the export of satellite-based climate monitoring solutions and entry into the carbon credit market. Currently, TelePIX is in discussions with international companies and institutions, including Saudi Arabia, for the export of blue carbon monitoring data.
"BlueBON represents the culmination of our independently developed technologies-from satellite design and optical payloads to AI processors and data analysis solutions. By enabling global, remote monitoring of marine carbon sinks, BlueBON poised to serve as a steppingstone for entering the blue carbon-based carbon credit market," said Seongick Cho, CEO of TelePIX.
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