Stratospheric airship flew from US to Japan to test sky cell tower concept
Tests showed Sceye’s high-flying platform can deliver connectivity in disasters.
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/10/trans-pacific-journey-tested-stratospheric-cell-tower-concept-in-japan/Open linkView original on feddit.online
9 replies
It's like starlink minus Kessler Sundrome
I've always dreamed of living on an airship in the stratosphere. It was my go to sleep dream when I was about 6.
funny. I have only recently thought about this because of the hybrid airships.
I feel like this type of airship didn't quite pass the muster during the last go round...
Jokes aside, in the very unlikely event that they can keep their surveillance out of it, this is actually really cool tech.
Genuinely interesting technology, which is so rare these days LOL. But I have questions:
Cell towers cover a much smaller area, and are connected with wires. How is an airship going to cover a larger area with more traffic, without wires? It says it flies "in disasters" so maybe the traffic is prioritized somehow for emergency communications?
Looking at the photos, it looks like it has a few hundred watts of solar, how the hell is that powering this thing 24/7?
It says they have plans for "year-round operation". Surely it would leak down eventually? Or run out of power during cloudy conditions or unavoidable winds/rain? Or is 60k feet above all of that?
Probably lazers
Yeah... it's totally gonna be strictly for connectivity...
Oh man, dirgibles were so cool, I wish they'd make a comeback
The Monkey's Paw:
usa so it will be used for spying and/or invasions