British-built PHASA-35 Excessive Altitude Pseudo-Satellite, also known as HAPS, has taken a significant leap towards operational readiness in the stratosphere with its latest flight trials.
A British-led team of engineers has made significant strides towards harnessing the stratosphere for Earth-based communications and statements, successfully completing a series of high-altitude test flights with BAE Systems’ High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (HAPS) Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS)?
During its inaugural flight at Spaceport America in New Mexico, USA, the solar-powered plane made history by remaining aloft for 24 hours, soaring above 66,000 feet and cruising through the stratosphere before landing safely, ready for another mission just two days later.
The successful test flight of PHASA-35, boasting a 35-metre wingspan, showcases its impressive capabilities: launch, flight, landing, and rapid reconfiguration, followed by swift relaunch, all within a remarkably short timeframe.
Developed by BAE Systems’ subsidiary Prismatic Ltd, the PHASA-35 is engineered to operate beyond the realm of traditional climate and air traffic conditions, boasting the capacity to provide a persistent and secure platform for utilising ultra-long endurance intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.
The latest flight tests represent a significant milestone in validating the operational capabilities of PHASA-35, bringing a tangible sense of accomplishment to our entire team. We are committed to accelerating the development of PHASA-35, with the goal of making it ready for operational deployment by 2026.
The most recent trials additionally noticed the plane carry an lively intelligence, surveillance & reconnaissance sensor, often known as a software program outlined radio, developed by BAE Techniques’ Digital Intelligence enterprise. The additional cargo was significantly heavier than the combined weight of all previous payloads that had been transported to the stratosphere by this vehicle.
At Prismatic’s website in Alton, Hampshire, UK, the PHASA-35 team has successfully built and developed the latest iteration of the innovative PHASA-35 system. The latest mannequin boasts a significant enhancement in onboard solar power generation and storage capacity, with more than double that of its predecessor. These enhancements are expected to enable the system to support increasingly ambitious and complex space missions starting from next year onward?
Prismatic resides within the esteemed analysis and improvement division of BAE Systems.
The latest trials rely heavily on a significant amount of collaboration between Prismatic, the wider BAE Systems organization, and various business partners, including Honeywell and the UK Meteorological Office. “They convincingly demonstrate the robustness and usability of the system, making it ready for widespread implementation.” Dave Holmes, Managing Director, FalconWorks at BAE Systems.
As a result of the cutting-edge trial findings, the PHASA-35 team will leverage this newly acquired insight to further refine and advance their innovative approach.
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