51.84 Mbps airborne wireless experiments: a prelude to the emerging HALOTM communication technology

A communication experiment/demonstration is described that involved relaying 51.84 Mbit/s signals through an airborne payload at 20 and 30 GHz. The payload was mounted on a Cessna 441 aircraft at up to 30000 feet altitude. Bit error probability measurements were performed on the network equipment. A series of increasingly complex future experiments with airborne platforms is being planned as part of the process to achieve ATM broadband communication service using the high altitude long operation (HALO^TM) platform concept at altitudes up to 60000 feet