We’ve spoken about it often since March 2014… First at the Thales Innov Days, then on the Net, in the press, on social networks and around water coolers! In a blink, Stratobus^TM became the latest avatar of geeks in love with innovation and new technologies. It’s been compared to a number of other concepts, from drones and zeppelins, to the Loon balloons from Google. As you have undoubtedly understood, Stratobus is neither a drone nor a satellite, but a bit of both at the same time! Led by Thales Alenia Space in conjunction with its partners, The Stratobus^TM program officially kicked-off on April 26^th

Go Stratobus Go !

© © Thales Alenia Space/Master Image Programmes

Marking a real break with all existing models, Stratobus^TM is in fact a stationary stratospheric airship, offering autonomous operation and suited to multiple missions. It measures 100 meters long with a maximum diameter of 33 meters (328 x 108 ft), and weighs less than 5 metric tons. Designed to operate at an altitude of 20 kilometers (about 66,000 ft), above the jet stream and air traffic, Stratobus^TM can carry a payload of up to 250 kg (550 lb), with 5 kilowatts of onboard power. StratoBus doesn’t need a launch vehicle to reach “orbit”. It takes just four hours to reach the stratosphere, and about the same to come back down. Its operating economics make it a real “low-cost” product, extremely competitive for regional civil or military applications, including telecommunications, navigation, observation (especially surveillance), etc. More info in the Press Release

A hive of innovations

Stratobus^TM has in fact stirred so much enthusiasm because it incorporates a wide array of innovations: a solar concentrator inside the envelope, a reversible fuel cell (to accumulate a large amount of energy day and night), a ring around the airship to rotate the envelope so that it always faces the Sun, in all seasons, and much more. The Stratobus^TM remains stationary in its assigned stratospheric position thanks to four electric motors driving special propellers several meters in diameter, on either side of the airship. This propulsion system enables Stratobus^TM (first-generation version) to resist wind gusts of 90 km/h (56 mph) – and that’s the big difference between Stratobus^TM and its stratospheric competitors.

Fair winds for Stratobus!

A perfect complement to satellites, Stratobus^TM can be used for missions up to five years (with with annual ground maintenance), mainly in tropical regions, where wind speeds generally do not exceed 90km/h. Several prospective customers have already indicated their interest, and are now awaiting a demonstration flight of a scale model, slated for 2018. This will pave the way for the first full-scale version of Stratobus^TM, which should hit the market in 2020.

Watch the new Stratobus video (April 2016)

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