A new generation of high-altitude aircraft is preparing to challenge the dominance of satellite internet providers like SpaceX's Starlink. Companies are developing autonomous planes and airships designed to operate in the stratosphere, promising faster, cheaper, and more direct connectivity to standard smartphones without the need for special ground terminals.
These high-altitude platform stations, or HAPS, aim to overcome the technical hurdles that grounded previous projects, such as Google's Loon. By using innovative power sources like liquid hydrogen and advanced solar technology, developers believe they can deliver high-speed internet to hundreds of thousands of users from a single aircraft, potentially reshaping the global connectivity landscape.
Key Takeaways
- Companies like World Mobile Stratospheric and Sceye are developing aircraft to beam internet from the stratosphere.
- The technology aims to provide speeds of up to 200 Mbps directly to smartphones, significantly faster than current satellite-to-phone services.
- HAPS could offer coverage at a fraction of the cost of satellite subscriptions, with one estimate suggesting service for as little as 60 pence per person per month.
- Unlike satellite internet, these systems do not contribute to space debris and can be deployed or replaced quickly.
A New Approach to Aerial Connectivity
The concept of using high-altitude platforms for telecommunications is not new, but recent technological advancements are bringing it closer to reality. Previous attempts struggled with providing enough power to sustain high-bandwidth antennas and maintaining a fixed position in the stratosphere, which is the layer of Earth's atmosphere between 10 and 50 kilometers (about 6 to 31 miles) high.
World Mobile Stratospheric is developing an autonomous aircraft called the Stratomast. This carbon-fiber plane has a wingspan of 184 feet (56 meters), comparable to a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, but weighs only four metric tons. It is designed to operate at an altitude of 60,000 feet (18 km).
Richard Deakin, CEO of World Mobile Stratospheric, explained that the key innovation is its power source. Instead of relying on solar panels that provide limited energy, the Stratomast will be powered by liquid hydrogen. This allows it to generate enough electricity to support a large 10-by-10-foot phased-array antenna and stay airborne for six days before a replacement aircraft takes over.
"When the Stratomast is flying, all these old satellites are going to be in museums," Deakin said, highlighting his confidence in the technology's potential to disrupt the market.
Performance and Cost Advantages
The performance promised by these stratospheric platforms could significantly outperform existing satellite-to-phone services. World Mobile claims a single Stratomast will be able to connect 500,000 users simultaneously, delivering speeds of 200 megabits per second (Mbps) directly to their smartphones.
This is a substantial leap from the 17 Mbps currently offered by Starlink's direct-to-device service, which is primarily for text-based emergency messaging. It also surpasses the roughly 21 Mbps demonstrated by competitors like AST SpaceMobile.
By the Numbers: Stratomast vs. Starlink
- Direct-to-Phone Speed: Stratomast aims for 200 Mbps, while Starlink currently offers 17 Mbps.
- Coverage Area: One Stratomast covers 6,000 square miles (15,000 sq km).
- User Density: A single aircraft can serve half a million users, far exceeding the typical density of satellite constellations.
- Cost: World Mobile estimates covering all of Scotland would cost about $52 million per year, translating to roughly 60 pence (less than $1) per person per month. The cheapest Starlink plan is $40 per month.
The cost-effectiveness is a major selling point. Gregory Gottlieb, head of aerial platforms at World Mobile, noted that this level of connectivity is "enough for TV, computer broadband, the whole thing." The low operational cost could make high-speed internet accessible in underserved regions where satellite subscriptions are prohibitively expensive.
Overcoming Past Failures and Pushing Forward
Another key player, New Mexico-based Sceye, is developing a solar-powered airship. The company has already achieved a major milestone that eluded past projects. In August of last year, its airship became the first stratospheric platform to successfully remain in a fixed position overnight without losing altitude after sunset—a critical challenge known as station-keeping that contributed to the end of Google's Loon project.
Mikkel Frandsen, Sceye's founder and CEO, believes that satellite constellations alone cannot meet the world's growing demand for internet. "There really isn't any satellite constellation that can serve more than one person per square kilometer," he stated, pointing to the inherent bandwidth limitations of satellite systems when many users are in one area.
Why the Stratosphere?
Operating in the stratosphere offers a middle ground between ground-based cell towers and orbiting satellites. Platforms are high enough to cover vast areas but much closer to Earth than low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. This proximity reduces latency and allows for stronger signals to be sent directly to conventional devices without specialized receivers.
Sceye's progress has attracted significant investment from Japanese telecom giant SoftBank, and the company has also secured a NASA contract to carry Earth-observation instruments. Both Sceye and World Mobile are targeting commercial service launches around 2027.
A More Sustainable and Flexible Alternative
Beyond speed and cost, HAPS offer other distinct advantages over satellite megaconstellations. As the number of satellites in low Earth orbit grows, so do concerns about space debris and the risk of collisions. Atmospheric scientists also worry about the environmental impact of metals burning up in the atmosphere when satellites re-enter.
HAPS operate within the atmosphere and can be brought down for maintenance or decommissioning, eliminating the problem of space junk. This also provides a level of flexibility that satellites lack.
Gottlieb pointed out the strategic benefits, especially in times of conflict. "There is a view that, within 24 hours of any major conflict, low Earth orbit would be unusable for military purposes," he said. "We can deploy aircraft at very short notice. We can be agile in terms of spectrum that we're using." This agility could make HAPS a vital asset for ensuring resilient communications for both civilian and military applications.