
Air Based Communication Platforms
A balloon or circling plane high in the air is a very interesting
communications platform. A bunch of these can make a nice network.
The advantages are:
- They are at fixed locations relative to the
users on the earth (like Geostationary satellites but not like LEOs)
so customers could use directional antennas
- Can be rolled out gradually. Do not need whole system to up to start,
so capital investment is easier
- Cost of the platform may be far less than a satellite
- The systems can be easily taken down and repaired.
- At 10 to 100 miles it much closer to customers than GEO (23,000 miles)
and even well closer than LEO (say 400 to 1000 miles) so the customers
transmitter power can be far less.
Systems in the works
Note that
solar powered planes with fuel cells are
another alternative for communication platforms in the sky.