Satellite News

Airbus has successfully tested stratospheric 4G/5G defence applications with a high-altitude balloon demonstration. The technology tested, an Airbus LTE AirNode, represents a key part of Airbus’ secure networked airborne military communications project, Network for the Sky (NFTS).

Hispasat and Thales Alenia Space announced that they are jointly preparing a stratospheric balloon demonstration for 4G/5G telecom applications.

Airbus Defence and Space announced the successful landing of its first production aircraft of the Zephyr programme, the new Zephyr S HAPS (High Altitude Pseudo-Satellite). After taking off on 11 July in Arizona, USA, Zephyr S logged a maiden flight of over 25 days, the longest duration flight ever made.

NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland has awarded a startup license to FABAEARTH, a California-based startup, for radio frequency and advanced communications technologies.

Thales Alenia Space and Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to co-operate in the development of Stratobus.

The first Russian atmospheric platform dubbed “Sova” (Owl) with a high-aspect ratio flexible wing began flight tests at an altitude of 49,000-65,000 feet [14.7-19.5 km], an official with the Advanced Research Fund was quoted as saying.

World View and Ball Aerospace successfully completed a Stratollite mission earlier this month, demonstrating early capabilities for remote sensing applications from the stratosphere, nearly 70,000 feet (21 km) above Earth.

Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, an independent, research-driven graduate-level university in the United Arab Emirates, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Thales/Thales Alenia Space and French engineering university MINES ParisTech to develop applications for the Stratobus drone-satellite hybrid airship.