Rickerism

Situation

In 2005, industry introduced a new open standard for wireless data communication called WiMax, also known as IEEE 802.16. WiMax is similar to IEEE 802.11, or WiFi, the wireless Internet access we use in our office. However, WiMax enables access from 50 km (30 mi) away rather than WiFi access of only 100 m (325 ft). In 2006, industry will finalize WiMax 802.16e, which is the mobile portion of the technology specification. WiMax will usher in a feverish demand for mobile broadband wireless Internet. It has taken decades to build the cable infrastructure in the United States. Many residential areas still do not have cable or DSL broadband Internet. It has also taken decades to build a cellular phone infrastructure for this country. There are many places that still do not have reliable service. Industry is eager for an alternative means of deploying communications infrastructure.

At 20 km (65,000 ft), the atmosphere is exceedingly calm. From that altitude, communications equipment has a direct line of sight for 500 km (310 mi), roughly the size of Afghanistan or Texas. The broadcast energy of mobile devices to reach a platform at 20 km is much less than that needed to reach geosynchronous satellites at 35,700 km or even low earth orbit satellites (LEOS) at 350 km. The US Army, Navy, Air Force, Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and several companies are investigating the use of high altitude airships (HAA) as a communications platform. The largest effort is from MDA, who launched a $100 million advanced concept technology demonstration (ACTD) in September 2003 with Lockheed Martin.

The four combatant commanders of Central Command, Pacific Command, US Forces Korea and North American Air Defense have all signed letters attesting |- that they need HAA capability now to support both joint theater operations and operations such as Enduring Freedom.

Objective

Build a reproducible high altitude airship by January 2007 capable of lifting a 100 kg (220 lbs) payload and maintaining altitude of 20 km for 30 days that can provide broadband wireless Internet communications for 10,000 subscribers. Operate the airships for less than $250,000 per month and lease them to theater commanders for $1 million per month.

Figure 1 One airship has a 500km line-of-sight, roughly the size of Afghanistan or Texas

Execution

Lockheed Martin is currently attempting to build an airship that can lift 1,800 kg (4,000 lbs). This airship will be the largest built since the Graf Zeppelin in the 1930s. The complexities of such a ship are enormous. For instance, Lockheed anticipates creating special hanger facilities for the ship in Nevada and deploying the ship globally from there. It will take 8 to 10 days for the airship to deploy into Southwest Asia.

Characteristic	Lockheed Martin		Marne
Payload	1,800 kg	4,000 lb	100 kg	220 lb
Dimensions	250 m x 75 m	820 ft x 246 ft	48 m diameter	157 ft
Volume	736,000 m3	26,000,000 ft3	58,000m3
Surface area	48,000 m2	517,000 ft2	7,200m2
Helium cost	$500,000.00		$42,000.00
Ship cost (est.)	$50 million		$250,000.00
Time to deploy	8 to 10 days		48 hrs
Time to redeploy	8 to 10 days		8 hrs
Duration	1 year		30 days

Figure 2 Comparison between Lockheed Martin and Marne approach

Marne can build a smaller airship designed to lift a payload of only 100 kg. The airship will weigh 4,000 kg (4 tons). We can rapidly deploy the airship un-inflated into theater by common cargo aircraft. Instead of attempting to maintain altitude for one year, our airship will maintain altitude for 30 days. We will deploy two airships to a mission so that one is up at any time. We conducted our first HAA experiment in October 2005. We estimate that it will take one year and $2 million for research and development to create a HAA product. The program will have 6 experimental launches. The team will consist of three fulltime engineers, four part time consultants and one intern.

After R&D, each airship should cost $250,000 to build. The Pronal USA facilities are well suited for creating the airships. Each mission deployment will require two airships and a crew of at least 6 technicians. Estimated cost is $200,000 per month to operate a mission. Typical subscription rate for broadband Internet is $100 per month. A platform capable of sustaining 10,000 subscribers has a revenue potential of $1 million per month.

References

• Lewis Jamison, et al. High-Altitude Airships for the Future Force Army. RAND: 2005.
• MDA brief on HAA ACTD
• WiMax Forum

Research

Distributed Instruments funded a series of experiments with the University of Tennessee to research the design requirements and feasibility of high-altitude airships as a communications platform. One experiment, UX-3, reached an altitude of 33.5 km (110,000 ft).

Photograph from high-altitude experiment

Video of launch (44 MB)