Sceye, an aerospace and materials science company specializing in high-altitude platform systems (HAPS), describes its new SceyeCELL as a cell tower in the sky that combines the precision of satellite systems with the flexibility of cellular networks.
SceyeCELL is a battery- and solar-powered platform that is engineered for long duration operations at 60,000 feet above ground. The press release says that one SceyeCELL will be able to cover an area equivalent to 500 cell towers.
Telecompetitor reached out to Sceye to ask about the primary use case for SceyeCELL. “SceyeCELL’s main purpose is to offer mobile broadband. Today, we are focused on bridging the coverage gap that exists between terrestrial and satellite solutions, operating as a complement to existing infrastructure, especially in disaster-recovery scenarios,” Sceye Founder/CEO Mikkel Frandsen told us.
“In the future, ground, air, and space infrastructure must all operate together as a ubiquitous network to fulfill the promise of 6G and an ‘always-on’ connectivity. The stratosphere enables scalability that doesn’t exist today — bringing billions of people online, not millions.”
The press release points to three distinguishing characteristics of SceyeCELL “towers in the sky”:
- It features advanced beamforming, motion compensation, and full cellular functionality. Core cellular equipment is in an integrated, lightweight architecture optimized for weight, power and thermal management in the stratosphere.
- The platform performs real-time 2-D beam formation and implements real-time motion compensation, dynamically steering signals and enabling accurate coverage beyond what ground towers can provide.
- Its components are engineered for long-duration operation in temperatures as low as −70°C and harsh atmospheric conditions, including low pressure, high radiation, and severe thermal gradients.
The context presented by Sceye is that 6G, which is on the way, will include ubiquitous networking that must support autonomous vehicles, robotics, IoT systems, and always-on connectivity. SceyeCELL will work alongside existing terrestrial and satellite networks to make these services possible.
Space clearly is getting crowded. In addition to traditional geosynchronous satellites and the new SceyeCELL virtual towers, thousands of low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites are being launched. For instance, earlier this month the FCC approved the launch by Amazon LEO of 4,504 satellites and Blue Origin announced that they will begin deploying TeraWave during the fourth quarter of next year.
