Government entities such as the military, border patrol, and first responders demand real-time communications for various challenges whether in steady state or emergency situations. These agencies utilize a variety of communications systems, including commercial carriers, but when a commercial carrier’s infrastructure is not adequate or there is a need for immediate coverage in remote areas, they turn to Space Data’s stratospheric communications platform.
Stratospheric, high-altitude wireless communications through the SkySat™ platform is a cost-effective wireless network that supports numerous voice and data applications. It is highly effective for a wide range of government programs, including border monitoring and disaster response applications.
Space Data has flown more than 25,000 missions lifting wireless communications systems to stratospheric altitudes using military-grade balloon technology. U.S. and international governments have trusted Space Data technology for mission critical communication sin some of the most remote areas from the equator to the Arctic Circle.
Our repeater platform extends the range of commercial and military-grade two-way radios from 10 miles to nearly 500 miles and enables for real-time voice and data services to be instantly deployed to support personnel under any conditions, including rugged terrain, remote areas, and even sandstorms. This is available to any government agency at a local, county, state or federal level.
Space Data’s stratospheric wireless communications technologies have applications across a broad spectrum of government users.
The deployment is simple: fill a military-grade balloon with helium or hydrogen and attach a Space Data radio repeater payload and launch by hand. Once launched and on its way to a roughly 80,000-foot float altitude, a SkySat™ communications platform provides a portable wireless network, supporting technologies such as Land Mobile Radio (LMR). The system offers the same communications coverage previously available only on expensive terrestrial based wireless networks or bulky, expensive satellite equipment.
Space Data’s military-grade high-altitude wireless network has exceptional capability for continuous operations in rural and remote locations, while providing the ability for a rapid launch within minutes. With a weight of 12 pounds or less, the balloon payload can be quickly deployed with minimal personnel; requiring only two people to facilitate a launch.
Another increasingly common mission for SkySat™ and SkyEye remote imaging, is to serve as a means to carry another payload, suspended beneath it, to altitudes above 65,000 feet in order to conduct a variety of special-purpose missions, such as intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. The system provides a short range two-way communication link between itself and the suspended payload to support command and control of, and low-rate telemetry from, the lower payload, all through the radio’s command and control link with its standard ground station.
