A team of British-led engineers has made a major step forward in the race to harness the stratosphere to observe and communicate with Earth, completing a new series of test flights in quick succession of BAE Systems’ PHASA-35 High Altitude Pseudosatellite (HAPS) unmanned aerial system.
On its maiden flight a few weeks ago at Spaceport America in New Mexico, the solar-powered craft flew for 24 hours, reaching an altitude of over 66,000 feet and flying through the stratosphere before landing in a usable state and ready to fly again in just two days.
This marks a major milestone in the development of the PHASA-35, named for the aircraft’s 35-meter wingspan, demonstrating its ability to launch, fly, land, reconfigure and launch again quickly.
Designed by BAE Systems subsidiary Prismatic Ltd for airborne and conventional airspace operations, the PHASA-35 has the potential to provide a persistent and stable platform for very long duration intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance applications.
Bob Davidson, CEO of BAE Systems Prismatic, said: “This flight test marks a major step forward in demonstrating the operational capability of PHASA-35 and is a really proud moment for our entire team.
“We will continue to develop PHASA-35 at the fastest pace possible, striving to have it operational in 2026.”
The latest tests also revealed that the aircraft is equipped with an active intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance sensor called a software-defined radio developed by BAE Systems’ Digital Intelligence division, more than double the payload of the last time it flew into the stratosphere.
At Prismatic’s facility in Alton, Hampshire, UK, the PHASA-35 team has built the next version of PHASA-35. The new model will be able to generate and store twice as much solar energy on board than the current version. These modifications are expected to enable longer and more complex stratospheric missions from next year onwards.
Prismatic is part of FalconWorks, the advanced research and development division of BAE Systems’ aerospace division.
Dave Holmes, general manager of BAE Systems’ Falcon Works division, said: “This trial has required close collaboration with a range of BAE Systems’ business and industry partners, including Prismatic, Honeywell and the Met Office.
“They demonstrate the reliability and capability of the system in operation.”
The PHASA-35 team will use data from the latest trials to further refine and improve this new technology.
