High Altitude Pseudo-Satellites: Balloons and Drones to complement satellite services

After the Chinese Balloon Incident, where a Chinese spy balloon was shot down in North America beginning of this year, the questions about the benefits of such platforms and their development arise.

High Altitude Pseudo-Satellites (HAPS) are unmanned aerial vehicles that operate at altitudes between 17 and 22 km, which is much higher than conventional aircrafts. They can remain airborne for weeks or even months, offering a persistent presence over a specific location. They can provide various services, such as communication, remote sensing, and surveillance in their operational range. HAPS are often considered a cheaper and more flexible alternative to traditional satellites, as they can be easily moved to different locations and are not subject to the same launch and disposal costs.

HAPS are becoming an increasingly popular solution for a range of applications, including communication, earth observation, and scientific research. Due to the lower manufacturing and operating costs, HAPS could offer advantages and complementary applications over satellites, terrestrial infrastructure, and Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS). Other advantages are that HAPS do not require any launch vehicle. They can move with their own power throughout the globe or remain stationary at one location. The systems need to be landed after their mission. Hence maintenance and payload configuration tasks are easier and less expensive.

HAPS have a range of potential applications in various fields. Some of the most promising applications include:

1. Communication: HAPS can be used to provide broadband and narrowband communication services to remote or rural areas that are not well-served by terrestrial communication networks or outside the range of satellite communication. HAPS can also be used to enhance existing communication infrastructure, such as providing additional coverage and capacity for cellular networks.
2. Earth observation: HAPS can be used to provide high-resolution imagery and video of the Earth’s surface for various applications, including environmental monitoring, disaster management, and security surveillance, such as maritime or border surveillance.
3. Navigation: HAPS can be used to augment or provide alternative positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) services to existing satellite-based systems such as Galileo, GPS or GLONASS.
4. Military and defence: HAPS can be used for military and defence applications, such as reconnaissance and surveillance, communication, and early warning systems.
5. Science and research: HAPS can be used to conduct scientific experiments and research in the fields of astronomy, meteorology, and atmospheric physics.
6. Aviation: HAPS can be used to improve the safety and efficiency of air traffic control, as well as provide in-flight connectivity and entertainment for passengers.

Overall, HAPS have the potential to provide a cost-effective and flexible solution for various applications that require continuous coverage of large areas and high-altitude observation.

In the European Union, several initiatives are underway to develop and deploy HAPS systems. For instance, the European Space Agency (ESA) is supporting the development of the Zephyr HAPS by Airbus Defence and Space, which is designed for a range of applications, including environmental monitoring, maritime surveillance, and border control and internet of things (IoT) connectivity. The Zephyr is a solar-powered, unmanned aircraft that is designed to remain airborne for up to 200-300 days, offering a cost-effective alternative to traditional satellites.

Another notable HAPS project in the EU is the Stratobus project, which is led by Thales Alenia Space. The Stratobus is a high-altitude airship that is designed to offer persistent surveillance and communication capabilities. It is intended to complement traditional satellite systems and can be deployed in a range of applications, including defence, border control, and environmental monitoring.

To explore the applicability of HAPS by specific users, additional research programmes were launched, such as a research study on HAPS by FRONTEX. The research study aims at exploring if HAPS can indeed be a capability enabler/multiplier and how the internal security community of the EU can maximise the opportunities provided by such solutions. It will embed an overview of the HAPS market, a specific assessment on HAPS and a fundamental rights impact assessment.

Overall, HAPS technology is becoming an increasingly important part of the space industry in the EU. With their ability to offer persistent presence and cost-effective alternatives to traditional satellite systems, HAPS are poised to play an important role in a range of applications, from communication to environmental monitoring and scientific research.