As soon as August, a silver, helium-filled airship roughly 61 metres (200 feet) long will cross the Pacific to Japan, where it will park in the stratosphere and beam 5G connectivity directly to devices below.
The craft is built by Sceye, a New Mexico-based company developing what is known as a high-altitude platform station (HAPS), a solar-powered, unmanned airship that operates at approximately 18 kilometres (11 miles) above the Earth, in the stratosphere.
“What we ultimately offer is space-like conditions, without the cost of going to space and without the complexity of being in orbit,” said Mikkel Vestergaard Frandsen, Sceye’s founder and CEO.
The stratosphere offers a sweet spot for connectivity. A HAPS covers a much larger area than a ground-based cell tower, but operates far closer to Earth than low-orbiting satellites, meaning signals require less power to transmit. The approach avoids the cost and complexity of space-based infrastructure while providing persistent coverage over a large area.
The upcoming mission will see the craft supplement Softbank’s 5G network by using a custom-built antenna to beam data directly to mobile devices. The cross-Pacific flight follows a successful 2024 test in which Sceye’s craft flew 12 days to Brazil, maintaining station for more than 88 hours in various locations despite stratospheric winds.
Keeping the airship on station is the core technical challenge. The craft must be light enough to stay aloft yet strong enough to carry communications payloads. Solar panels capture energy during the day, which is stored to power an electric fan that maintains position against stratospheric winds around the clock. The craft’s exterior uses a lightweight, reflective fabric that gives it a silver blimp-like appearance.
The company is one of several pursuing HAPS technology, alongside Airbus subsidiary Aalto. Sceye expects the platform to help satellite operators serve densely populated areas more effectively.
“Someday, spotting a HAPS may be as common as seeing ships at port or trains on the tracks,” Frandsen said.
Sources: This flying solar-powered platform could deliver better internet from the air (MIT Technology Review, June 24, 2026)