Spaceport America Announces Completion of First Successful Stratospheric Flight

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KVIA) --- Spaceport America, the world’s first purpose-built commercial spaceport, has successfully launched their first stratospheric flight.

In June of 2023, British engineers from BAE Systems utilized Spaceport America, and its partner U.S. Army White Sands Missile Range, as a proving ground to complete a stratospheric flight of its high-altitude pseudo satellite (HAPS), it's an Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) – PHASA-35.

Over a 24-hour period, PHASA-35 soared to more than 66,000 feet, reaching the stratosphere, before landing. The trial gave BAE Systems’ engineering team to assess the performance of the experimental solar-electric drone within the planet’s atmosphere.

This is the starting point of a series of tests for PHASA-35.

Following the successes, PHASA-35 could be cleared for use in defense and commercial markets in North America, Europe, and the rest of the world.