ircraft deployed for surveillance and communication missions usually need to be adequately fuelled before takeoff. However, PHASA-35 – a high-altitude pseudo-satellite (HAPS) made by aerospace company BAE Systems – doesn’t rely on jet fuel. Instead it’s solar powered and charges up its batteries during daylight while in flight, so it can fly non-stop for months at a time. What sets this pseudo-satellite apart from standard satellites and aircraft is the layer of Earth’s atmosphere it operates in; PHASA-35 is designed to fly in the stratosphere, around 12.4 miles
SURVEILLANCE FROM THE STRATOSPHERE
Jan 18, 2024
3 minutes
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