RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article
T1 On the capabilities and limitations of high altitude pseudo-satellites
A1 Gonzalo de Grado, Jesús
A1 López Rodríguez, Deibi
A1 Domínguez Fernández, Diego
A1 García Gutiérrez, Adrián
A1 Escapa García, Luis Alberto
A2 Ingenieria Aeroespacial
K1 Aeronáutica
K1 High altitude platforms
K1 Pseudo-satellite
K1 HAPS
K1 Stratospheric flight
K1 Long endurance
K1 Solar-powered
K1 3301.04 Aeronaves
AB [EN] The idea of self-sustaining air vehicles that excited engineers in the seventies has nowadays become a reality as proved by several initiatives worldwide. High altitude platforms, or Pseudo-satellites (HAPS), are unmanned vehicles that take advantage of weak stratospheric winds and solar energy to operate without interfering with current commercial aviation and with enough endurance to provide long-term services as satellites do. Target applications are communications, Earth observation, positioning and science among others. This paper reviews the major characteristics of stratospheric flight, where airplanes and airships will compete for best performance. The careful analysis of involved technologies and their trends allow budget models to shed light on the capabilities and limitations of each solution. Aerodynamics and aerostatics, structures and materials, propulsion, energy management, thermal control, flight management and ground infrastructures are the critical elements revisited to assess current status and expected short-term evolutions. Stratospheric airplanes require very light wing loading, which has been demonstrated to be feasible but currently limits their payload mass to few tenths of kilograms. On the other hand, airships need to be large and operationally complex but their potential to hover carrying hundreds of kilograms with reasonable power supply make them true pseudo-satellites with enormous commercial interest. This paper provides useful information on the relative importance of the technology evolutions, as well as on the selection of the proper platform for each application or set of payload requirements. The authors envisage prompt availability of both types of HAPS, aerodynamic and aerostatic, providing unprecedented services.
PB Elsevier
SN 0376-0421
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10612/17781
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10612/17781
NO Gonzalo, J., López, D., Domínguez, D., García, A., & Escapa, A. (2018). On the capabilities and limitations of high altitude pseudo-satellites. Progress in Aerospace Sciences, 98, 37-56.
DS BULERIA. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de León
RD 01-jun-2024