Sanswire Networks has scheduled the launch date of its first Stratellite.
Following the successful test of the wireless communications capabilities of its Stratellite earlier this month, Sanswire plans to launch a high-altitude airship into the stratosphere by the end of January 2005. The Stratellite will be positioned at an altitude of just under twelve miles above the earth's surface. The Company will complete the remaining tests of its Stratellite program in preparation for the launch of its first permanent Stratellite scheduled for later in 2005.
With the wireless communications platform tested earlier in Atlanta mounted to the Stratellite, the Company will be able to demonstrate how the communications payload will operate from its desired final altitude of 65,000 feet.
The Stratellite will be launched multiple times and remain in one geostationary position within the stratosphere for days at a time while various test are carried out concerning the communication systems, antenna array, launching and retrieving the airship, environmental systems, airship navigation, and up/down link capabilities. It is estimated that these tests will run for a 60 to 90 day period.
"Our goal with this next proof-of-concept demonstration is to share with the rest of the world what we already know; that we can put an airship in the stratosphere and communicate wirelessly with that platform to create a product that could change wireless communications forever," said Michael K. Molen, CEO of Sanswire Networks. "We believe that we will be ready to launch the Stratellite into the stratosphere by the end of January. The tests earlier this month convinced us that all the pieces are finally in place. The countdown has begun."
Timothy Huff, CEO of GlobeTel Communications further stated, "This is the next logical step in placing a grid of Stratellites to handle live, day-to-day communication's traffic. Once launched, this grid will change the way the world communicates in ways that most can't even understand at this point. The launch will be broadcast over the Internet and live feeds from the Stratellite will be made available through the Company's website."
A Stratellite is similar to a satellite, but is stationed in the stratosphere rather than in orbit. At an altitude of only 13 miles, each Stratellite will have clear line-of-site communications capability to an entire major metropolitan area as well as being able to provide coverage across major rural areas. Several Stratellites linked together could cover many hundreds of thousands of square miles. The Stratellite will allow subscribers to easily communicate in both directions using readily available wireless devices. In addition to voice and data, proposed telecommunications uses include cellular, 3G/4G mobile, MMDS, paging, fixed wireless telephony, HDTV, real-time surveillance and others.