Drone-satellite hybrid will soar through Earth's stratosphere and conduct surveillance
- 8 years ago
CANNES, FRANCE — Thales Alenia Space is building a revolutionary Zeppelin-like airship designed for applications ranging from border surveillance to environmental management, according to a recent press statement released by the Cannes-based aerospace manufacturer.
The Stratobus, made mainly of UV-resistant carbon fiber, will measure 70 to 100 meters long and 20 to 30 meters wide.
Reaching an altitude of 20 kilometers in the atmosphere, which is higher than most aircraft, the Stratobus will have a view range of about 500 kilometers. Reaching this height allows the airship to serve a similar function as satellites do currently, including border and maritime surveillance, telecommunications, broadcasting and navigation, reported Phys.org.
According to Thales Alenia Space, a ring around the Stratobus allows the airship to rotate and face the Sun no matter the season or time of day. After solar rays enter the airship through a transparent section of the outer envelope, the rays reflect off a mirror inside and onto a row of solar panels.
Energy collected from the solar panels is then sent to the Stratobus' nacelle where the airship's ultra-light fuel cell and electrolyzer are both located. The fuel cell stores the energy used by the spaceship, while the electrolyzer converts water onboard into gas.
Despite the high winds at these altitudes, two fuel-cell powered electric motors at the sides of the airship maintain the airship's stability.
While this idea has been in the works for some time, Thales recently announced the official launch of the project in April, which will have 24 development phases. The prototype will be ready for testing in 2018, and the airships are expected to become commercialized by 2020.
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The Stratobus, made mainly of UV-resistant carbon fiber, will measure 70 to 100 meters long and 20 to 30 meters wide.
Reaching an altitude of 20 kilometers in the atmosphere, which is higher than most aircraft, the Stratobus will have a view range of about 500 kilometers. Reaching this height allows the airship to serve a similar function as satellites do currently, including border and maritime surveillance, telecommunications, broadcasting and navigation, reported Phys.org.
According to Thales Alenia Space, a ring around the Stratobus allows the airship to rotate and face the Sun no matter the season or time of day. After solar rays enter the airship through a transparent section of the outer envelope, the rays reflect off a mirror inside and onto a row of solar panels.
Energy collected from the solar panels is then sent to the Stratobus' nacelle where the airship's ultra-light fuel cell and electrolyzer are both located. The fuel cell stores the energy used by the spaceship, while the electrolyzer converts water onboard into gas.
Despite the high winds at these altitudes, two fuel-cell powered electric motors at the sides of the airship maintain the airship's stability.
While this idea has been in the works for some time, Thales recently announced the official launch of the project in April, which will have 24 development phases. The prototype will be ready for testing in 2018, and the airships are expected to become commercialized by 2020.
-------------------------------------------------------------
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Visit our official website for all the latest, uncensored videos: http://us.tomonews.net
Check out our Android app: http://bit.ly/1rddhCj
Check out our iOS app: http://bit.ly/1gO3z1f
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