Satellite News

Ball Aerospace and World View are working together to explore the feasibility of a commercial capability to perform persistent remote sensing from the Stratollite platform. The collaboration will culminate with World View performing a long-duration, persistent Stratollite flight to demonstrate remote sensing capabilities for commercial applications.

MicroLink Devices announced that Airbus Defence and Space has issued a production contract for MicroLink’s epitaxial lift-off (ELO)-based multijunction solar sheets for use on the new Zephyr S platform.

Thales Alenia Space announced the official kickoff of its Stratobus research & development project. Stratobus is an autonomous stratospheric airship that was just approved by the French government’s “investment in the future” programme, with funding of EUR17 million. These funds cover a 24-month development phase for key enabling technologies, culminating in the construction of a demonstrator. Since the project has also won support from four different French regions, additional funding of about EUR3 million is expected.

Avealto has completed initial feasibility evaluation of its free flying test vehicle in its development programme to build a commercial High Altitude Platform (“HAP”). The Avealto test vehicle was successfully launched on 14 June 2015 from a desert launch site near Lovelock, Nevada, in the Western USA. The vehicle landed intact and flight telemetry has now been fully evaluated.

Airbus Defence and Space and Sion Power Corporation announced the signing of a three-year Collaborative Agreement. The agreement provides for Sion Power to enhance and supply proprietary lithium sulfur (Li-S) batteries for use in Airbus Defence and Space’s Zephyr High Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (HAPS) aircraft.

NASA is considering issuing a challenge for developing stratospheric airships that can break records in terms of duration of flight at high altitudes. The agency has issued a request for information for this contemplated “20-20-20 Airship Challenge.” Submissions will be accepted until 1 December.

Airbus Defence and Space announced that the Zephyr 7 High Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (HAPS) has just completed its most demanding mission to date and thus set a new benchmark in persistent, year-round operations for this class of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS).

Sanswire-TAO Corp., the airship manufacturing joint venture equally owned by Sanswire Corp. and TAO Technologies GmbH, announced that it has received a funding commitment for US$1.4 million arranged by satellite tracking provider Global Telesat Corp. (GTC) and has commenced construction of its first production commercial/government use unmanned autonomously controlled, Lighter than Air (LTA) airship, designated the STS-111.
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