Airbus U.S. Space & Defense and Aerostar announced an expansion of their Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) to include additional capabilities from Persistent Systems, LLC (“Persistent”).
Airbus U.S. Space & Defense and Aerostar announced a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) between the two companies which led to successful joint Internal Research and Development (IRAD) stratospheric test flight. The test flight enabled testing of hardened communications systems suitable to support ISR sensor applications from the stratosphere. The combination of these systems enables near real-time communication and ensures operationally relevant information for critical decision-making.
Today an Aerostar Thunderhead Balloon achieved 200 days of stratospheric flight. The balloon, identified as HBAL 676, manufactured by Aerostar International LLC in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was launched from Hurley, South Dakota on March 8, 2024 to conduct research and development activities associated with navigation.
Aerostar announced that the company has been awarded a five-year, $40.1M contract for the delivery, installation, operation, and sustainment support of the Air Surveillance Radar (ASR) systems onboard U.S. Navy ships.
Aerostar high altitude balloon systems used to conduct multi-domain training for the U.S. Indo-Pacific command joint forces.
Aerostar announces a historic achievement: 500 consecutive days of operations in the stratosphere. With high altitude balloons aloft somewhere in the world every single day from December 12, 2022 to April 25, 2024, Aerostar demonstrated persistent operations in the stratosphere and covered more than 265,936 nautical miles. With more than 2 million total flight hours in the stratosphere, successful missions over all seven continents, and single balloon flights exceeding 150 days duration, Aerostar has proven global reach and capabilities to operate in diverse environments.