Cambridge Consultants and Stratospheric Platforms Limited (SPL) have teamed up to develop a 5G satellite capable of projecting a connection from the planet's near-orbit.
Photo: Stratospheric Platforms
An artists' rendition of the HAP.
The new High-Altitude Platform (HAP) project costs a fraction of traditional connection services and is designed to provide 5G support for areas usually not covered by most mainstream network providers.
It is the culmination of a four-year project, and the artificial satellite will be able to project a connection from an altitude of 20,000m with minimal environmental impact owing to its zero-emission hydrogen-powered system.
The two Cambridge-based companies teamed up to develop the platform and communication system designed to anchor itself in the stratosphere and deliver a fast, efficient and affordable connection.
The three square-metre antenna clocks in at 120kg, which allows it to be attached to a high-altitude drone and launched into the sky.
The platform covers an area worth hundreds of traditional 5G masts, equating to a radius of around 140 kilometres, meaning 60 HAPs could cover an area the size of UK and deliver connection speeds of up to 100 Gbps.
With its cheaper costs, the platform hopes to fill gaps in coverage across the developed world to ensure rural areas are not left behind.
Initial tests for the project were completed in September, and the rollout is expected to commence in Germany in 2024.
SPL CEO, Richard Deakin, said: “This unique antenna is at the heart of SPL’s stratospheric communications system.
"It was essential that we overcame significant technical challenges in the design of the antenna to enable us to deliver massive data rates in a unique environment where power was limited, where weight was critical and where cooling in the thin, stratospheric air was difficult.”
Tim Fowler, the chief sales officer at Cambridge Consultants, said: “Four years ago SPL approached Cambridge Consultants with an ambitious vision: to revolutionise the telecoms experience by beaming connectivity from the sky.
"Our role, to design and build this ‘mega cell tower in the stratosphere’, has seen us make breakthrough after breakthrough and we’re excited to build on these innovations with SPL, on the path to commercial deployment.”
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