Stratospheric communication platforms

as an alternative for space program

St. D. Ilcev
Mangosuthu University of Technology, Durban, South Africa

Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the potential applications of stratospheric communication platforms (SCP), which have been
recently introduced as an alternative for satellite communications.
Design/methodology/approach – Various applications, solutions and services are planned by using aircraft or airship SCP, which could be classified
as digital narrowband or broadband, depending on the broadband required. The platforms as base stations can provide service for fixed and mobile
applications, with commercial and military solutions. Subscribers will use uplink to the platform for transmitting and receiving information, where
onboard SCP switching devices will downlink to the ground station and route traffic directly to other subscribers within the same platform coverage, to
another platform via optical inter-platform links, trough heterogeneous networks including satellite or to the terrestrial telecommunications network.
Each SCP can deploy an antenna for large coverage area or a multibeam antenna capable of projecting numerous spot beams within its potential
coverage area.
Findings – This paper outlines the findings of fixed and mobile applications, features, testing and some specific development programs of SCP using
aircraft solutions, such as SkyTower and airship solutions, such as CRL/TAO/NAL.
Research limitations/implications – Particular consideration is given to the use of SCP for delivery of future broadband, broadcast and multimedia
wireless communications including research for new communication, navigation and surveillance (CNS) implications.
Practical implications – SCP will provide communication facilities that can exploit the best features for both terrestrial and satellite schemes.
Originality/value – Emerging solutions of voice, data and video over IP are offered by SCPs operating in the stratosphere at altitudes of up
to 25 km.

Keywords Aircraft, Airships, Digital communication systems, Communication technologies

Paper type General review

Nomenclature HALO ¼ High altitude long operation

HAPS ¼ High altitude platform station
BMS ¼ Broadband and multimedia systems HDTV ¼ High definition TV
CNS ¼ Communication, navigation and surveillance IPTV ¼ Internet protocol TV
CRL ¼ Communications Research Laboratory ISDN ¼ Integrated services digital network
(Japan) JAMSTEC ¼ Japan Marine Science and Technology Center
DoIP ¼ Data over IP LAN ¼ Local area network
DVB ¼ Digital video broadcasting LEO ¼ Low earth orbit
ERAST ¼ Environmental research aircraft and sensor LMDS ¼ Local multipoint distribution system
technology MAV ¼ Manned aerial vehicle
FoIP ¼ Fax over IP NASA ¼ National Aeronautics and Space
GEO ¼ Geostationary earth orbit Administration of USA
GES ¼ Ground earth station NASDA ¼ National Space Development Agency of Japan
GLONASS ¼ Global navigation satellite system (In Russian: PCS ¼ Personal communications service
RFC ¼ Regenerative fuel cell
) RR ¼ Radio regulation
of Russia SCP ¼ Stratospheric communication platform
GNSS ¼ Global navigation satellite system (ICAO TAO ¼ Telecommunications Advancement
Definition) Organization of Japan
GPS ¼ Global positioning system of USA TT&C ¼ Tracking, telemetry, and command
UAV ¼ Unmanned aerial vehicle
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at VCoIP ¼ Video conferencing over IP
www.emeraldinsight.com/1748-8842.htm VDV ¼ Voice, data and video
VDVoIP ¼ Voice, data and video over IP ()
VDVoIP ¼ Voice, data and video over IP
Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology: An International Journal VoIP ¼ Voice over IP
83/2 (2011) 105– 111
q Emerald Group Publishing Limited [ISSN 1748-8842]
WAN ¼ Wide area network
[DOI 10.1108/00022661111120999] WRC ¼ World Radiocommunications Conference

105
 Stratospheric communication platforms
St. D. Ilcev
Introduction
Despite advances in terrestrial telecommunications
technology, almost three billion people living in rural locations
are still without any telephone facilities. Except for fixed and
mobile satellite communications networks, stratospheric
communication platform (SCP) systems are the newest space
technique with top digital transmission technologies for fixed and
all mobile commercial and military applications, which include
remote and rural solutions. These systems employ unmanned or
manned aircraft and airships carrying payloads with
transponders and antennas, providing voice, data and video
over IP (VDVoIP) services.
Using only a few cost-effective remote-controlled, solar-
powered aircraft or airships coverage over some region or
country including urban, suburban and rural areas, farms and
other environments with low density of population is possible.
The SCP network offers better solutions than all cellular radio
systems, with greater speed of transmission than even optical
modes, roaming will be enhanced without severe shadowing or
obstacle problems and disturbances inside of buildings, and
service will cost less. The SPS mission can be integrated with
current satellite and cellular systems; the system is more
autonomous and discrete and will be the best solution for rural,
mobile transportation and military applications.
The SCP aircraft or airships can be seen well from all
positions inside the coverage area, because they are overlapping
the total coverage and because of elevation angle. In any
circumstances mountains, buildings and even trees cannot
cause obstructions like to cellular network. For these reasons,
there is currently a revival of interest for SCP constellation types
with various system concepts being studied (Aragón-Zavala
et al., 2008).
SCP systems overview
There are four general telecommunications solutions, which
can be used to deliver broadband radio local loop service to
consumers. Two of these systems are space-based GEO and
non-GEO satellite solutions, while the other two are terrestrial
rooftop cellular-like millimeter-wave repeaters and SCP.
The SCP network can be integrated with satellite or cellular
systems; but in general this mission is autonomous or discrete
and will be the best solution for military and all mobile
applications. For instance, the Halo broadband SPS network of
Angel Company provides data density rates nearly 1,000 times
higher than proposed satellites systems (Table I), while having
round trip time delays appropriate for interactive broadband
services. Whereas the delays through satellite-based network
Table I Comparison of data density and signal delays
Node data density Round trip delay
Min Max Min Max
Node type (Mb/s/km2) (Mb/s/km2) (ms) (ms)
LMDS 3 30 0.003 0.060
Halo 2 20 0.10 0.35
LEO (Broadband) 0.002 0.02 2.50 7.50
GEO 0.0005 0.02 200 240
Sources: Ilcev (2005, p. 441, Table 10.1); with kind permission of Springer
Science and Business Media
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nodes, even through low earth orbit (LEO) satellite nodes, are
too long for many interactive applications, which figures are
25 or 1,000 times longer for LEO or GEO then for
Halo networks, respectively. In fact, the Halo network
parameters and performances are almost similar to the variety
of metropolitan environment spectrum bands of the local
multipoint distribution service (LMDS) band near 28 GHz
(Aragón-Zavala et al., 2008).
SCP applications
The new aircraft projects offer cost-effective systems for SCP
by using either special unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with
fuel or non-fuel solar cell powered planes and an estimated
endurance of several months, or piloted aircraft known as
manned aerial vehicles (MAVs) with fuel engine propulsion for
operating on a daily basis. Additionally, there are developed the
following aircraft systems: General Atomic AVCS SPC
Network (employed UAV with fuel engine propulsion);
Halostar-Halo SPC Network (employed MAV with fuel
engine propulsion), Heliplat-HeliNet Hale SPC Network
(not-fuel UAV), SkyTower Global SPC Network (not-fuel
UAV) and other forthcoming SPC solutions (Aragón-Zavala
et al., 2008).
The new airship projects offer cost-effective systems for SCP
by using special unmanned and non-fuel solar-cell electrical
powered propulsion balloons with an estimated endurance of
several months. There are several airship SPC architectures
such as SkyStation Global Network, SkyLARK Network,
StratCon (StratoSat) Global Network, and CRL/TAO/NAL
SCP Network.
In a comparison of aircraft and airship applications, it is
difficult now to say which one will be better in the future. Which
system will be more effective will confirm further design and
practical use of SCP. In fact, the aircraft systems using fuel as a
motive power are disadvantaged in comparison with aircraft
using solar energy.
On the other hand, UAVs are more advantageous than
MAVs, because they can be in position in the stratosphere for
about six months, while MAVs need three successive shifts on
station of 8 h each to provide continuous 24 h service. For each
area to be served, a fleet of three MAV aircraft have to operate in
overlapping shifts from regional airports to achieve continuous
around-the-clock service. The aircraft can utilize alternate
airports anywhere within a 300-mile radius of the coverage
area. Thus, such operational flexibility ensures only better
service availability, because prior to each flight, the aircraft and
all fuselage components or payload undergoes scheduled
maintenance to guarantee high QoS.
After several months of service, both aircraft and airships are
grounded, so the network equipment (payload) aboard the
platform will be assessed, maintained and upgraded on a
routine basis to ensure optimal working performance. The SCP
is essentially an equipment bus or transponder from which
commercial wireless services will be offered to large-scale of
fixed and portable/mobile users; for urban and rural areas; and
for commercial and military applications (Aragón-Zavala et al.,
2008).
Therefore, by using stabilized stratospheric aircraft or airship
platforms as the electronic interface between all mobiles, ship/
car-mounted, or home/office-based wireless local loop
subscribers and the necessary cellular network, it is possible
to minimize the requirement to build any cell sites, towers, and
 Stratospheric communication platforms
St. D. Ilcev
other related very expensive components of any typical cellular
or personal communications service (PCS) system. In such a
way, eliminating these costs and increasing geographic coverage
by using this new system dramatically can make serving many
low density and rural areas cost effective and can be deployed in
a fraction of the time it takes to build professional cellular and
PCS.
Platform segment constellations
This section will introduce a sample of SPC prototypes based
on the solar-powered AeroVironment UAV and one solar-
powered airship model, also unmanned, SCP designed,
developed and built by the CRL/TAO/NAL joint venture.
In October 2000, AeroVironment formed SkyTower Inc. to
pursue commercial opportunities enabled by its own
proprietary unmanned solar-electric aircraft as a space
segment constellation of SkyTower (Helios) Global Network.
Soon after, a SkyTower expert team together with the leading
telecommunications system providers started to validate the
important technical and economic viability of the SkyTower
platform for multiple applications, and begins development of
commercial systems for fixed and mobile civilian and military
applications.
SkyTower conducted successful symposiums in Tokyo, Japan
(February 2001) and Taipei, Taiwan (March 2001),
introducing the SkyTower forthcoming technologies and
business opportunities to many industry and government
representatives. The company executed several agreements
with multiple telecommunications service providers and
operators to jointly assess and pursue opportunities in their
respective regional markets. Finally, SkyTower held its first
Board of Advisors meeting in April 2001. Advisory Board
members include current and former executives from some of
the leading telecommunications and aerospace companies such
as Cisco, Global Crossings and Loral (Ilcev, 2005; www.avinc.
com/downloads/GO-01_AV_GO_SkyTower_Web_.pdf).
A research and development program on a SCP airship system
has been in progress since April 1998. The final goal of this
project was to realize an airship capable of an acceptable long-
duration station-keeping flight at about 20 km. The
achievements will enable advanced wireless fixed/mobile
communications, broadcasting, broadband and high-resolution
monitoring of the urban, rural, regional and global environment.
This programme in Japan is promoted in collaboration with
Telecommunications Advancement Organization (TAO),
National Space Organization (TAO), National Space
Development Agency (NASDA), Japan Marine Science and
Technology Center (JAMSTEC), and Communications
Research Laboratory (CRL).
Development of SkyTower aircraft
The first unmanned high-altitude solar-electric SCP aircraft
designed under the NASA special project was Pathfinder
developed in 1995 with a wingspan of 29.87 m which flew to
15.39 and 21.79 km in 1995 and 1997, respectively. A second
modified Pathfinder program, known as Pathfinder-Plus, with a
bigger wingspan of 36.88 m flew to 24.44 km, higher than any
other propeller-driven aircraft. This record flight was the 39th
consecutive successful flight test of the Pathfinder platform.
After climbing to this altitude above the Hawaiian island of
Kauai, the Pathfinder-Plus transmitted several hours of third-
generation mobile voice, data and video (VDV) service to the
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ground, where it was received on a standard NTT DoCoMo
3G-video handset. Building on the successes of the Pathfinder
UAV, AeroVironment introduced a next-generation aircraft
with a wingspan of 62.78 m, called the Centurion, which
was test flown in 1998 at Edwards Air Force Base in the USA.
The wingspan was then further extended to 75.28 m, and the
previous model of aircraft was renamed the Helios prototype
(Miura and Suzuki, 2003).
The Helios prototype, which successfully completed initial
low-altitude flight testing at Edwards Air Force Base in 1999,
was then equipped with high-efficiency solar cells and
underwent high-altitude flight testing in the summer of 2001
in Hawaii at the US Navy Pacific Missile Range Facility on
Kauai. On 13 August 2001 on its second high-altitude flight,
Helios flew to 29.52 km, shattering the world altitude record for
both propeller and jet-powered aircraft (the SR-71 spy plane
was the previous record holder, having flown to 25.93 km in
July 1976). Its 18-h flight duration on that day is a record for
solar-powered aircraft, thus setting the stage for continuous
multi-day/month flight upon integration of the fuel cell energy
storage system already under development. AeroVironment
and NASA officially started to work together on light fuel cell
technology that will allow the aircraft to retain enough electrical
power from sunlight to remain aloft at night until morning
(Evans and Baughan, 2000).
In February 2002, NASA performed tests of complete day/
night cycle operation of a regenerative fuel cell (RFC) energy
storage system. At this point, in a milestone meeting
performance requirements, engineers from NASA and
AeroVironment successfully completed tests of a prototype
RFC energy storage system for the Helios aircraft in April of
2002. In June/July 2002, SkyTower and AeroVironment, in
collaboration with the Japanese Ministry of Post and
Telecommunications (CRL/TAO) and NASA, successfully
provided several tests of the world’s first transmission or
commercial applications from over 18 km in the stratosphere.
The two applications tested, high definition TV (HDTV) and
3-G mobile, further validate the viability of the SkyTower
unmanned high altitude platform station for use by wireless
service providers for a broad range of space-based and
terrestrial telecommunications applications. The final test
scheduled for mid-July, provided an opportunity for
international participants to see this breakthrough technology
first hand.
The commercial version of Helios as an evolution of the
Pathfinder and Helios prototype has to incorporate a fuel cell
energy storage system to provide power for flying through the
nighttime and continuous flight for months at altitudes of
15-22 km. A full-size fuel cell and electrolyzed energy storage
system for the Helios prototype is operating in test facility of
AeroVironment. Therefore, as part of the NASA
Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology
(ERAST) program, a reduced weight version of this system
will be integrated into the Helios UAV project to enable
continuous multipurpose communications service (Sheriff and
Fun, 2001).
The next major performance test was performed in 2003
when the first multi-day flight in the stratosphere by a Helios
aircraft integrated with the fuel cell energy system. During the
course of this flight a fixed broadband communication of
internet was demonstrated from the stratosphere with user ultra
high-speed in excess of 50 Mb/s. The last major event occurred
 Stratospheric communication platforms
St. D. Ilcev
in 2004 with the launching of the first fixed broadband and
multimedia commercial service.
Description of CRL/TAO/NAL airship platform system
The unmanned airship can be located in stationary position at a
stratospheric altitude of about 20 km for broadband fixed and
mobile communications and earth observation purposes.
Thus, the airship SCP is equipped with adequate
communications payload, observation sensors and other
equipment. The system is designed similar to a satellite space
segment as relay station to receive signals from ground stations
using feeder link and to retransmit them to subscribers using
service link (Oodo et al., 2005).
An airship like a satellite is carrying adequate payload with
corresponding transponders and antenna system. The launch
of an airship in the desired position is more simple, easy and
cost effective than putting a satellite into orbit. After proper
design, construction and careful preparation in the hanger, the
SCP airship can be launched in four ascent phases through
troposphere, via interface location point in stratosphere and in a
final stage slowly shifting to the station-keeping position.
The recovery phase is the opposite, namely, the airship slowly
moves from its station-keeping position towards the Interface
point and from there descending down to the ground in four
descent phases. Accordingly, the SCP airship body construction
has a semi-rigid hull of a special ellipsoidal balloon (dirigible)
shape with an overall length of approximately 200 m, shown in
Figure 1. It is composed of an air-pressurized hull for maintaining
a fixed contour, and internal special bags filled with helium gas.
Two air ballonets are installed inside the hull to keep the
airship at a required attitude. Thus, for a load balance to the
lifting force, catenaries curtains are connected to a lower rigid
keel, directly attached to the envelope. Propulsive propellers are
mounted on both the stem and stern of the airship, and tail fins
are installed on the rear end of the CSP hull. In this sense, a
solar photovoltaic power subsystem of solar cells and RFCs is
provided to supply continuous a day and night cycle of
electricity for airship propulsion (Ilcev, 2005; www.avinc.com/
downloads/GO-01_AV_GO_SkyTower_Web_.pdf).
Figure 1 CRL/TAO/NAL stratospheric platform with main components
Solar arrays
X-Shaped
tail wings
Rear
propeller
Forward
propellers
RFC power
He bags
Antennas Catenary
radiators curtains
Sources: Ilcev (2005, p. 456, Figure 10.6); with kind permission of
Springer Science and Business Media
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The length of an airship is approximately 250 m, and 60 m in
diameter. This is about 4 times as long as a jet passenger
airplane. Its weight is about 32 tons, and 50 percent of the
weight corresponds to the structure and membrane materials.
Hence, solar arrays and fuel batteries, related to electric power
system, are also heavy. And the weight of mission equipment is
supposed to be about 1 ton.
The necessary condition for an airship to float at a certain
altitude is that the gravity force and buoyant force, which are
exerted to the airship, are in an equilibrium state. When the
shape and volume of airship are supposed to be constant,
unlike a balloon, the buoyant force at altitude of 20 km becomes
about 1/15 that at sea level. Buoyancy of 15 times as much is
necessary for the equilibrium. In order to float an airship SCP
in the stratosphere, it is necessary to make the weight of the
airship light, and also to make the buoyancy large as far as
possible, inside the airship, there are several internal bags filled
with He gas to get enough buoyant force.
Ground network configurations
For decades, the satellites have been considered
communications final frontier. Recently, new ventures are
aiming their sights lot lower orbit SCP solutions, namely
AeroVironment, CRL/TAO/NAL and other projects are
exploring the either concept of a flying (aircraft) or floating
(airship) SCP that would blanket a metropolitan and rural areas
with low density of population with an array of fixed and mobile
broadband telecommunication services, while 3-G mobile
voice and video service, direct broadcast and narrow band
voice will follow. At any rate, behind the projects is the fact that
fixed-wing airplanes or balloons are much cheaper than
satellites to design, build, launch and operate. We can recover
aircraft or airship on the ground, provide maintenance and
again put in position, what presently we cannot do with any type
of satellite (Ilcev, 2005; www.avinc.com/downloads/GO-01_
AV_GO_SkyTower_Web_.pdf).
SkyTower aircraft ground segment
The SkyTower Space and Ground configurations consisting of
Helios UAV solar-powered aircraft and communications
payload, shown in Figure 2. Ground infrastructure is covered
by Helios communications payload in diameter of 50 miles for
urban area and 600 miles for regional roaming including rural
areas.
The fixed and mobile communication devices can be linked
via Helios aircraft and gateway stations to the internet and
PSTN networks, while the communications service in each
region is controlled by dedicated operations centre. In fact, the
transponder and antenna systems installed in the fuselage
section onboard the UAV stationary platform, a part of its
so-called “next-generation telecommunication demonstration”,
will include direct digital television broadcast equipment and a
kind of cellular technology known as IMT-2000 including new
mobile satellite ISDN, internet, voice over IP (VoIP), fax over IP
(FoIP), video conferencing over IP (VCoIP) and data over IP
(DoIP) computer transmission systems. In such a way, the
SkyTower system can provide similar technology as a DVB-
RCS platform does, such as VDVoIP and internet protocol TV
(IPTV) service (Miura and Suzuki, 2003).
In this sense, the broadband capacity per aircraft SCP is
projected to be 5 Gb/s for the first generation, besides multiple
 Stratospheric communication platforms
St. D. Ilcev
Figure 2 SkyTower space and ground segment
Helios unmanned • Operates at 18-23 km
• Up to 6 month flight duration
solar-electric aircraft
• Above weather and air traffic
and communications • Appears geostationary
payload
Fixed Mobile
communications communications
25° to 90°
typical look
angles
Operation center
Gateway
station
Internet/PSTN Mobile user equipment
Fixed user equipment
50-mile diameter typical urban coverage (600-mile maximum regional coverage)
Sources: Ilcev (2005, p. 446, Figure 10.4); with kind permission of Spring
Science and Business Media
platforms can serve the same area and further reusing the same
frequency spectrum. Due to their unique operating position in
the sky, the platforms could also share spectrum with terrestrial
and satellite systems. That means this system for business and
consumer users offers dramatically lower service costs.
SkyTower, based on analyses completed with communication
service providers and system developers, projects that the
capital cost per subscriber to deploy a fixed broadband system
including redundant back-up SCP, is a fraction of the cost of
other alternatives such as cable network and satellite
infrastructures. At the end of its mission, the aircraft would
be glided back to an airport for routine maintenance and
refitting (Evans and Baughan, 2000).
Between landings, the plane serves for up to six months
continuously in the stratosphere above the weather and
commercial air traffic. The platform carries a payload
that communicates with users on the ground within a 30 to
600 mile footprint, and connects them with a gateway station
on the ground tied directly to a fiber-optics backbone, or
alternatively to GEO and non-GEO satellites, thus minimizing
the need for building any backhaul infrastructure.
In addition, small low cost, stationary user antennas can be
used due to the unique tight turning radius of the aircraft SCP,
which makes it appear geostationary from the ground. The
closer proximity of the platform to earth enables much higher
frequency reuse than any satellite platform, resulting in more
than 1,000 times the local access capacity compared to a GEO
constellation. Multiple SCP aircraft can serve the same area,
further reusing the same spectrum and multiplying system
capacity. In this way, SkyTower plans to launch the first
telecommunications service in the near future.
CRL/TAO/NAL airship ground system features
Onboard the airship there is mission equipment to provide
multimedia and broadcasting for fixed and mobile
communication services, and earth and disaster monitoring
systems (Figure 3). Therefore, using airships are expected the
following features:
.
Broadband/broadcasting services are possible with small
sized and very low power terminals, owing to much shorter
propagation distances compared with satellite systems.
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.
High-quality and cost-effective VDV service is possible with
smaller number of suitable ground stations, due to better
line-of-sight conditions, less shadowing and obstacles
disturbances, multi-path effects and wave-blocking
compared with existing cellular systems. Compared with
satellite systems, the propagation distance is shorter for about
1/1,800 and there is not a delay in radio transmission.
Consequently, as EM signal propagation losses and delay
distortions become much smaller, this system can employ
smaller sized and lower power fixed and mobile terminals[8].
.
By establishing platform broadcast, broadband and
multimedia applications, high-speed internet with
VDVoIP and IPTV scenario, comparable to fiber-optic
systems. Better performance than fiber optic and any
telecommunication system will be possible in the near
future, which may enable realization of novel fixed and
mobile communication of ultra high-speed broadcast,
broadband and multimedia.
.
Optimum system configurations are feasible owing to the
flexible operations of platform systems, which can enable
expansion of coverage service to global roaming.
Broadband and digital TV broadcasting by SCP will use
approximately 15 platforms to cover for instance all of Japan,
where at least 10,000 stations are necessary at present. Thus,
access to wireless fast fixed and cost more effectively than
fiber-optical systems.
The CRL/TAO/NAL system will enable advanced fixed and
mobile communications to complement terrestrial systems at
very low cost, better communications infrastructures for all
countries and promote spreading broadcast (diffusion) and
broadband commercial and military communications in these
countries. Emergency alert, distress information and
broadcasting will keep link in an emergent disaster case by
moving over the place. In such a way, various remote sensing
services will be available for emergency watch keeping, radio
wave observations, geographic (GIS) and aerial photographs,
meteorological observations, etc.
This system is designed for fixed and mobile multimedia two-
way SCP system. The CRL/TAO/NAL ground segment
consists of ground earth stations or gateways and fixed,
semifixed and/or mobile terminals, with corresponding auto-
tracking and focusing antenna systems for all applications[8].
Complete fixed CRL/TAO/NAL broadband, multimedia and
service program with all applications is shown in Figure 4. Fixed
ground terminals can be self-contained PC-based office
configuration with modem or as an integrated part of
advanced LAN or WAN, laptop, fixed telephone set in office
or public and mobile or cellular equipment. On the other hand,
mobile multimedia access will offer maritime, land,
aeronautical and personal handheld SCP solutions and
services for both commercial and military applications.
Therefore, at this point mobile ground communication
terminals can be PC portable or laptop configuration
interfaced to the mobile transceiver with adequate antenna
systems, self-contained mobile or portable in ship, vehicle and
aircraft transceivers with mobile auto-tracking antennas and
personal handheld terminals with inside built antenna.
Maritime mobile communications will provide two-way
commercial, distress and safety communications services for
ships, fishing fleet and other kind of boats integrated with
GEO and global navigation satellite system (GNSS) systems.
In frame of this service will be additional activities like buoy and
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St. D. Ilcev Volume 83 · Number 2 · 2011 · 105 –111

Figure 3 CRL/TAO/NAL fixed communication network

Airship SCP

Airship SCP
Optical inter-paltform links Airship SCP

Airship SCP

mm wave broadband access

TT&C
Advanced TT&C
Advanced terminals GES
GES WAN
Mobiles
Multimedia
High-speed internet Integrated service
Sources: Ilcev (2005, p. 458, Figure 10.7); with kind permission of Springer Science and Business Media

Figure 4 CRL/TAO/NAL mobile communication network

Airship SCP

Airship SCP
Optical inter-paltform links Airship SCP

Airship SCP

Multimedia mobile access

Aeronautical mobile
communications

Disaster and SAR

GES
TT&C
Maritime mobile
communications
Land mobile communications
Sources: Ilcev (2005, p. 459, Figure 10.8); with kind permission of Springer Science and Business Media

lighthouse control, marine pollution, maritime investigation .

terrestrial rebroadcasting programs to home stations;
and search and rescue (SAR) missions. Land mobile .
relay broadcasting of HDTV and radio programs;
communications will provide service for all kind of vehicles .
movable broadcasting on demand using mobile equipped
like trains, buses, trucks and cars, including personal mobile stations;
terminal, cellular mobile service and emergency .
broadcasting for limited suburban regions, isolated islands,
communications for natural disasters, which can be enhanced rural and remote places;
with equipment for tracking and GNSS facilities.
.
field pickup from SCP structures;
The SCP system will be in a good position to substitute,
. emergency news, alerting and observations; and
integrate and enhance current cellular systems. Maritime, land
.
military broadcasting (Oodo et al., 2005).
and aeronautical mobile communication will provide commercial,
military and distress services for all kind of mobiles integrated with
Conclusions
GEO, GPS, GLONASS and other GNSS to provide
communications, navigation and surveillance (CNS) services. There are several unique attributes that allow SCP
The broadcasting system using SCP airship constellation will constellation, either aircraft or airships, to offer low-cost
provide the following services: broad array service:
.
digital broadcasting; .
The SCP infrastructures do not require launch vehicles,
.
complementary terrestrial digital broadcasting to fixed and they can move under their own power throughout the world
mobile stations; or remain stationary, and they can be brought easily down

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 Stratospheric communication platforms
St. D. Ilcev
to earth surface after several hours or months of mission,
refurbished and redeployed without service interruption.
.
With only several SCP aircraft and/or airships units is
possible to provide global, regional or local (country-based)
coverage, while with infrastructure of inter-platform optical
links between nearby airplanes or airships is possible to
enlarge coverage and enhance service.
.
Every SCP is independent and autonomous for dedicated
service area, so once a platform is in right position, it can
immediately begin delivering service to its coverage area
without the need to deploy a global constellation of
platforms to operate. This attribute is very important for
rural and military applications.
.
The altitude enables the SCP system to provide a higher
frequency reuse between nearby platform units and thus
higher capacity than other wireless systems.
.
Located in the stratosphere 21 km above the earth, each
SCP is acting as the very low-orbiting satellite, providing
high density, capacity, and speed service with low power
requirements and no latency to an entire metropolitan and
suburban area-extending out into rural areas.
.
The inexpensive SCP and gateway stations make it the
lowest cost wireless infrastructure per subscriber conceived
to date. The flexibility, reliability, enhanced capabilities and
its low cost will revolutionize telecommunications.
.
Joint venture private companies and government
authorities located in each country will control the SCP
configurations serving their region to ensure the best service
offerings tailored to the local market.
.
All types of SCP missions are environmentally very friendly,
because most of them are powered by solar technology and
non-polluting fuel cells.
.
The 21-km altitude provides subscribers with short paths
through the atmosphere and unobstructed free of
shadowing line-of-sight to the platform station. With very
small antennas, transceivers and low power requirements,
the SCP system allows for a wide variety of fixed, mobile
and portable user terminals to meet almost any service need
including distress, commercial and military applications.
References
Aragón-Zavala, A., Cuevas-Ruı́z, J.L. and Delgado-Penı́n, J.A.
(2008), High-Altitude Platforms for Wireless Communications,
Wiley, Chichester.
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111
Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology: An International Journal
Volume 83 · Number 2 · 2011 · 105 –111
Evans, B.G. and Baughan, K. (2000), “Visions of 4G”,
Electronics and Communication Engineering Journal,
December, pp. 293-303.
Ilcev, D.St. (2005), Global Mobile Satellite Communications for
Maritime, Land and Aeronautical Applications, Springer,
Boston, MA.
Miura, R. and Suzuki, M. (2003), “Preliminary flight test
program on telecom and broadcasting using high altitude
platform stations”, Wireless Personal Communications, Vol. 24
No. 2, pp. 341-61.
Oodo, M., Tsuji, H., Miura, R., Maruyama, M., Suzuki, M.,
Nishi, Y. and Sasamoto, H. (2005), “Experiments on
IMT-2000 using unmanned solar powered aircraft at an
altitude of 20 km”, IEEE Transactions on Vehicular
Technology, Vol. 54 No. 4.
Sheriff, E.R. and Fun, Y.H. (2001), Mobile Satellite
Communication Networks, Wiley, Chichester.
About the author
St. D. Ilcev received two BEng degrees in Mobile Radio
Engineering and in Maritime Navigation from the Faculty of
Maritime Studies at Kotor of Podgorica University, Montenegro;
the BSc Eng (Hons) degree in Maritime Communications from
the Maritime Faculty of University at Rijeka, Croatia; and the
MSc degree in Electrical Engineering from the Faculty of
Electrical Engineering, Telecommunication Department of
University at Skopie, Macedonia, in 1971, 1986 and 1994,
respectively. His Doctoral dissertation on Satellite
Communications, Navigation and Surveillance (CNS) was
positive evaluated in 2000 by Telecommunication Department
of Faculty of Electrical Engineering “Nikola Tesla” of Belgrade
University, Serbia. He also passed in Spring 1995 an on-site
GMDSS training course on Poseidon Simulator at Military
Maritime Training Centre in Varna, Bulgaria. He holds the
certificates for Radio Operator 1st class (Morse); for GMDSS 1st
class Radio Electronic Operator and Maintainer; for Master
Mariner, and he was Reserve Staff in CNS of Former Yugoslav
Army. Professor St. D. Ilcev is currently working as a Research
Professor in Space Science at Mangosuthu University of
Technology (MUT) in Durban, South Africa, and as Director
for establishment of National Space Institute (NSI). His research
has concentrated for over 45 years on all aspects of radio and
satellite CNS systems, networks, technology transfer, navigation
and logistics, including safety and security in all transportation
systems. St. D. Ilcev can be contacted at: ilcev@mut.ac.za