Zephyr Completes 13-Day Stratospheric Flight From Kenya Advancing Global HAPS Operations

AALTO HAPS Limited, an Airbus subsidiary specialising in the design, manufacture, and operation of High Altitude Platform Stations HAPS, has successfully completed its first stratospheric flight and testing from the newly established AALTOPORT in Laikipia County, Kenya.

Flying above 60,000 feet for over 13 days, the Zephyr HAPS was equipped with a direct to device D2D 4G/5G connectivity payload developed at AALTO’s Farnborough headquarters.

The system, designed to be compatible with standard smartphones, was tested to evaluate video and data service performance.

Additionally, AALTO validated enhancements to Zephyr’s flight envelope, improving stability and overall performance.

Brigadier Hillary Kipkosgey, Acting Director General / CEO of the Kenya Space Agency, emphasised Kenya’s commitment to advancing near-space technologies

As the national regulator for space activities and coordinating agency for the multi agency team on stratospheric operations, the Kenya Space Agency is committed to promoting the adoption and use of enabling technologies that are innovative, secure, and impactful.

HAPS is a unique capability with critical applications across multiple sectors.

Through our support to AALTO, we are pleased to demonstrate Kenya’s global leadership in creating a new hub for near space technology.

AALTO CEO Hugues Boulnois highlighted the Zephyr HAPS transformative potential

Zephyr’s return to stratospheric testing and operations is a significant milestone in its commercial roadmap.

As the most established platform globally, Zephyr continues to showcase its capabilities across connectivity and Earth observation applications.

It is a complementary asset to traditional space and defence ecosystems with unrivalled performance, flexibility, and a payload-agnostic design.

Thanks to the strategic vision of Kenyan regulators, we are now one step closer to commercialising the stratosphere.