World View Introduces a New Category of Above-Earth Technology for Commercial and Government Applications

TUCSON, Ariz. -- World View, the pioneers at the edge of space, today announced the introduction of a new category of above-earth vehicles with technological capabilities previously unavailable to government and commercial customers. In the months to follow, World View will be accelerating the development and commercial adoption of its “Stratollites”– or high-tech balloons that operate in the stratosphere.

Why the term “Stratollite?” Think of it like a satellite that operates in the stratosphere, with a host of advantages and innovations. The major innovation of the Stratollite is its ability to fly a variety of trajectories – from circumnavigating the earth to persistence over a specific location. And it is this capability of high-altitude persistence over specific geographical areas that has long been sought after by and unavailable to the commercial and government sectors. Stratollites, unlike any technology before them, can maintain position over specific areas of interest for days, weeks, and eventually months on end. This allows for more sustained measurements and monitoring capabilities over a targeted area. They can carry a wide variety of commercial payloads (remote sensors, telescopes, communications arrays, etc.). And unlike other technologies that require ideal conditions for launch, Stratollites can launch rapidly on demand, and safely return payloads back to earth after mission completion.

World View is routinely flying payloads to the edge of space today for a wide variety of government, commercial, and education customers. With over 50 flights under its belt, World View is a preferred full-service launch provider for the commercial community. And while trillions of dollars are spent on applications in space and the troposphere, the stratosphere is virtually untapped.

“Ultimately, we’re creating a new category of vehicle with these Stratollites,” said Jane Poynter, CEO of World View. “The entire World View team is passionate about changing the future of space access and technology, and about enabling previously unthinkable applications that have the power to positively affect the world. Ultimately, we’d like to make space accessible to everyone and use the technology at our disposal for the benefit of all humankind.”

Unlike any other balloon, drone or satellite in the industry, World View’s Stratollites will offer directional capability over remote areas for extended periods of time. These innovative new high-altitude capabilities are being offered to commercial customers for the first time, at a fraction of the cost of existing technologies, signaling the emergence of a new and untapped stratospheric economy with extraordinary potential. Comparatively speaking, other existing highaltitude vehicles face a number of challenges, including restrictions on geographical flight location and flight elevation, short flight duration, high costs and limited lifespan. World View’s technology addresses each of these limitations.

World View’s Stratollites will serve a wide range of commercial and government applications, including:

– Communications: Stratollites can carry service providers’ cellular device signals and communications arrays over remote locations and before, during or after natural disasters, aiding first responders in their efforts to locate and assist those in distress.

– Remote Sensing: Stratollites offer a robust, affordable and rapidly deployable platform for real time visual and instrument observation over specific areas of geographical interest.

– Weather: Stratollites are ideal for collecting weather data since traditional systems cannot fly over the open ocean or other remote areas where weather develops for an extended period of time. Stratollites are able to gather weather data at the source and insitu, making weather forecasting much more accurate and timely.

-Research: Offering an affordable platform for a variety of research applications, from astro and solar physics to atmospheric and earth sciences.

World View has also closed a new $15M Series B round of private financing to accelerate development and commercial adoption of the Stratollites. The financing round was led by Canaan Partners, with participation from Norwest Venture Partners, Tencent, Moment Ventures, and Base Ventures. Tom Ingersoll, former CEO of Skybox Imaging, and two prominent leaders in venture capital, Deepak Kamra from Canaan Partners and Vab Goel of Norwest Venture Partners, have also joined World View’s Board of Directors.

“We couldn’t be more excited than to be growing our business and this new stratospheric economy right here at home in Tucson,” said Taber MacCallum, World View’s Chief Technology Officer. “We’re honored to be part of building Arizona’s growing aerospace footprint and hightech economy.”

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READ THE ANNOUNCEMENT