AHAPS: Adaptable High Altitude Platform System
S. Amarfii (TU Delft - Aerospace Engineering)
L.M. van Breugel (TU Delft - Aerospace Engineering)
I.L.H. Ghys (TU Delft - Aerospace Engineering)
L. Hubbers (TU Delft - Aerospace Engineering)
J.E.M. van de Kamp (TU Delft - Aerospace Engineering)
F.L.S.G. Laureri (TU Delft - Aerospace Engineering)
J.C. van Ruiten (TU Delft - Aerospace Engineering)
S.J.Y.P. van Strien (TU Delft - Aerospace Engineering)
L.C.L. Thierens (TU Delft - Aerospace Engineering)
M.L.A. van der Voort (TU Delft - Aerospace Engineering)
M.M. van Paassen – Mentor (TU Delft - Aerospace Engineering)
A. Kumar – Mentor (TU Delft - Aerospace Engineering)
D.J. Groot – Mentor (TU Delft - Aerospace Engineering)
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Abstract
The world is more dependent on satellites than ever, providing global interconnectivity through essential services ranging from cellular communication to weather monitoring. However, satellites are limited by their high cost of development and launch. In addition, their payloads are fixed, with little possibility of changing the missions and capabilities of a satellite once it has been launched. High-altitude platform systems offer an alternative, with the capability of providing the same services as satellites but at a local scale. Despite this, commercially available high-altitude platform systems still lack the affordability and ease-of-use to be adopted globally as a reliable solution. To provide this affordability and ease-of-use, this report presents the design of an adaptable high-altitude platform system (AHAPS). The AHAPS is designed for an all-season endurance exceeding 28 days between the latitudes of 30°N and 30°S. The system is fully self-contained in a 20 ft ISO container, including the necessary tooling for assembly and operation in the field. It carries a modular payload, enabling diverse customisable missions. All these capabilities are provided at a production cost below €900k, significantly undershooting expensive alternatives and opening doors to emerging markets.