Raven Aerostar will conduct prototyping and field utility demonstrations to display the capabilities of the stratospheric balloons.
Raven Aerostar's Thunderhead Balloon Systems will get prototype communication nodes from the firm. Those systems can carry sensors, payloads and other technologies, allowing data collection during the stratospheric flight. This capability will help the DoD analyse data and improve situational awareness to benefit the warfighter on the battlefield.
The demonstrations are expected to allow the DIU to assess the feasibility of using Raven Aerostar's stratospheric technology for live military field operations.
The stratosphere is the second layer of the Earth's atmosphere, positioned above the troposphere and below the mesosphere. It is the second layer of the Earth's atmosphere. Aeroplanes normally cruise at 9–12 km (30,000–39,000 ft) altitude, which is in the lower levels of the stratosphere in temperate latitudes and the lower regions of the stratosphere in tropical latitudes. Because of the low temperatures at the tropopause and the low air density, flying at this altitude increases fuel efficiency by minimising parasitic drag on the aircraft.
