Stratospheric airship
Encyclopedia
A stratospheric airship is a powered airship designed to fly at very high altitudes (30,000–70,000 ft or 10 – 20 km). Most designs are (ROA/UAV
) remote operated aircraft/unmanned aerial vehicles. To date none of these designs have received approval from the FAA
to fly in U.S. airspace.
The first stratospheric powered airship flight took place in 1969 reaching 70,000 feet (21.3 km) for two hours with a 5 lb (2.2 kg) payload. On December 4, 2005 a team led by Southwest Research Institute
(SwRI), sponsored by the Army Space and Missile Defense Command (ASMDC) successfully demonstrated powered flight of the HiSentinel stratospheric airship at an altitude of 74,000 feet (22.6 km).
Lockheed Martin
has been contracted by the United States Department of Defense Missile Defense Agency to construct a high-altitude airship
(HAA) to enhance its Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS).
Japan
and South Korea
are also planning to deploy HAA's. South Korea has been conducting flight tests for several years with a vehicle from Worldwide Aeros.
Unmanned aerial vehicle
An unmanned aerial vehicle , also known as a unmanned aircraft system , remotely piloted aircraft or unmanned aircraft, is a machine which functions either by the remote control of a navigator or pilot or autonomously, that is, as a self-directing entity...
) remote operated aircraft/unmanned aerial vehicles. To date none of these designs have received approval from the FAA
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
to fly in U.S. airspace.
Stratospheric airship projects
Stratospheric airship efforts are being floated in at least 5 countries.The first stratospheric powered airship flight took place in 1969 reaching 70,000 feet (21.3 km) for two hours with a 5 lb (2.2 kg) payload. On December 4, 2005 a team led by Southwest Research Institute
Southwest Research Institute
Southwest Research Institute , headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, is one of the oldest and largest independent, nonprofit, applied research and development organizations in the United States...
(SwRI), sponsored by the Army Space and Missile Defense Command (ASMDC) successfully demonstrated powered flight of the HiSentinel stratospheric airship at an altitude of 74,000 feet (22.6 km).
Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin is an American global aerospace, defense, security, and advanced technology company with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, in the Washington Metropolitan Area....
has been contracted by the United States Department of Defense Missile Defense Agency to construct a high-altitude airship
High-altitude airship
The United States Department of Defense Missile Defense Agency contracted Lockheed Martin to construct a high-altitude airship to enhance its Ballistic Missile Defense System ....
(HAA) to enhance its Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS).
Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
are also planning to deploy HAA's. South Korea has been conducting flight tests for several years with a vehicle from Worldwide Aeros.
See also
- 21st Century Airships21st Century Airships21st Century Airships Inc. is a Canada-based research and development company for airship technologies. Projects have included the development of a spherical shaped airship as well as airships for high altitude, environmental research, surveillance and military applications, heavy lifting and...
- High-altitude airshipHigh-altitude airshipThe United States Department of Defense Missile Defense Agency contracted Lockheed Martin to construct a high-altitude airship to enhance its Ballistic Missile Defense System ....
- High-altitude platform
- Integrated Sensor is StructureIntegrated Sensor is StructureThe Integrated Sensor is Structure, sometimes called Integrated Sensor is the Structure, , is a program managed by the United States Air Force to research the feasibility of using an unmanned airship as a high-altitude reconnaissance and surveillence platform...
- Orbital airshipOrbital airshipThe orbital airship, also called the space blimp, is a proposed space transportation system that carries payloads to and from low Earth orbit...