High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellites (HAPS)
Stratospheric platforms for persistent communication, surveillance, and Earth observation.
HAPS are solar-electric aircraft or airships that loiter at 60,000+ feet for weeks or months, providing regional broadband, disaster response connectivity, border monitoring, or environmental sensing. They complement satellites at lower cost and latency. Regulatory, power storage, and atmospheric dynamics remain open challenges.
TRL
6/9Demonstrated
Impact
4/5
Investment
4/5
Category
Hardware
