An aircraft designed by engineers at an Alton-based company has completed a 24-hour solar-powered flight as part of plans to replace spy satellites.

The PHASA-35, built at Prismatic, a subsidiary of BAE, harnesses the stratosphere for earth observation and communications.

The PHASA-35 completed a series of test flights at Spaceport America in New Mexico, USA. A British-led team of engineers have flown a solar-powered aircraft for 24 hours in a move to replace spy satellites. The PHASA-35, which harnesses the stratosphere for earth observation and communications, completed a new series of test flights at Spaceport America in New Mexico. BAE Systems' High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (HAPS) Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) completed it's day-long trip by climbing to more than 66,000 feet and cruising in the stratosphere. It was then able to successfully landn a serviceable condition, meaning it was ready to fly again just two days later.
The PHASA-35 was designed by engineers from an Alton company. (BAE Systems / SWNS)

The aircraft has just completed a new series of successful test flights at Spaceport America in New Mexico.

BAE Systems' High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (HAPS) Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) completed it's day-long trip by climbing to more than 66,000 feet (20,116m) and cruising in the stratosphere.

The aircraft was then able to successfully land in a serviceable condition, meaning it was ready to fly again just two days later.

The PHASA-35 completed a series of test flights at Spaceport America in New Mexico, USA. A British-led team of engineers have flown a solar-powered aircraft for 24 hours in a move to replace spy satellites. The PHASA-35, which harnesses the stratosphere for earth observation and communications, completed a new series of test flights at Spaceport America in New Mexico. BAE Systems' High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (HAPS) Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) completed it's day-long trip by climbing to more than 66,000 feet and cruising in the stratosphere. It was then able to successfully landn a serviceable condition, meaning it was ready to fly again just two days later.
View from the PHASA-35 spy plane. (BAE Systems / SWNS)

Developers say this is a major milestone in the development of PHASA-35, named after its 35-metre wingspan, as it demonstrates its ability to be launched, flown, landed, potentially reconfigured and then relaunched again so quickly.

Designed by Prismatic to operate above the weather and conventional air traffic, PHASA-35, has the potential to provide a persistent and stable platform for uses including ultra-long endurance intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

Bob Davidson, chief executive of BAE Systems’ Prismatic, said: “These latest flight trials are a significant step forward in proving PHASA-35’s capability for operations and a real moment of pride for our entire team.

“We’re committed to continuing to develop PHASA-35 at pace to make it available for operational activity as soon as 2026.”

In the latest trials, the aircraft also carried an active intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance sensor, known as a software defined radio, developed by BAE Systems’ Digital Intelligence business. This weighed more than twice as much as the previous payload it had flown to the stratosphere with.

The PHASA-35 completed a series of test flights at Spaceport America in New Mexico, USA. A British-led team of engineers have flown a solar-powered aircraft for 24 hours in a move to replace spy satellites. The PHASA-35, which harnesses the stratosphere for earth observation and communications, completed a new series of test flights at Spaceport America in New Mexico. BAE Systems' High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (HAPS) Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) completed it's day-long trip by climbing to more than 66,000 feet and cruising in the stratosphere. It was then able to successfully landn a serviceable condition, meaning it was ready to fly again just two days later.
The PHASA-35 in flight. (BAE Systems / SWNS)

At Prismatic’s site in Alton, the PHASA-35 team has now built the next iteration of PHASA-35. The new model has more than twice the onboard solar power generation and storage capacity than the current version. These modifications are expected to allow it to demonstrate stratospheric missions of increasing duration and complexity from next year onwards.

The PHASA-35 team will now use data from these most recent trials to further improve and mature this novel technology.