The STS-111 is designed to fulfill a range of mission profiles at mid altitudes, performing both persistent loitering and racetrack operations nonstop for an estimated two and a half days. The airship is engineered to carry various payloads of intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and communications equipment, as well as having the capability to provide up to a 200-kilometer operational line of sight. The STS-111 has been designed to rapidly unfold from its standard-size crate and be prepared and tactically launched from virtually anywhere with minimal ground crew and no need for a large hangar or runway.
Satnews Daily
November 4th, 2009
MALE UAV Flexibility From Sanswire-TAO
Sanswire Corp. (OTCBB: SNSR) has announced the Sanswire-TAO joint venture will be holding a private demo of its STS-111 Lighter-than-Air Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) at its facilities in Stuttgart, Germany, for certain invited guests representing Government contractors from the U.S. and abroad prior to year end. The spiral construction effort of Sanswire-TAO's Mid Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAV program commenced in the second quarter of 2009 with the objective of producing two, non-rigid, 111-ft long airships, each in a unique configuration.
This demo will feature flight testing and inspection of the initial version of Sanswire-TAO's STS-111 airship, highlighting the unique capabilities inherent with the flexible segmented design. Future plans call for the subsequent FuelGas powered STS-111 platform to be delivered to Sanswire's systems integrator and operator where the systems integration work on the STS-111's command and control suites will commence followed by training on operations of the STS-111 in preparation for delivering fully operational airships for deployment and operations.
The STS-111 is designed to fulfill a range of mission profiles at mid altitudes, performing both persistent loitering and racetrack operations nonstop for an estimated two and a half days. The airship is engineered to carry various payloads of intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and communications equipment, as well as having the capability to provide up to a 200-kilometer operational line of sight. The STS-111 has been designed to rapidly unfold from its standard-size crate and be prepared and tactically launched from virtually anywhere with minimal ground crew and no need for a large hangar or runway.
The STS-111 is designed to fulfill a range of mission profiles at mid altitudes, performing both persistent loitering and racetrack operations nonstop for an estimated two and a half days. The airship is engineered to carry various payloads of intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and communications equipment, as well as having the capability to provide up to a 200-kilometer operational line of sight. The STS-111 has been designed to rapidly unfold from its standard-size crate and be prepared and tactically launched from virtually anywhere with minimal ground crew and no need for a large hangar or runway.