Samer Halawi on the race to commercialize the stratosphere

Over the last decade, global aerospace giant Airbus has been developing Zephyr — a stratospheric flight vehicle with the wing span of a passenger plane but weighing less than the average adult. After years of successful flight tests, Airbus in 2023 spun out the Zephyr program into a new company called Aalto HAPS, with the goal of commercializing this ground-breaking piece of technology. Aalto HAPS CEO Samer Halawi is now in charge of building that business. He joins the Race to Near Space to discuss his plans and how Zephyr can help revolutionize connectivity and the way we see our planet.

Exploring the Skies: The Evolution of Stratospheric Ballooning with Aerostar

In our latest “The Race to Near Space” podcast episode, we investigate the fascinating world of stratospheric ballooning with Russ Van Der Werff, the Vice President and Chief Balloon Evangelist at Aerostar, a HAPS Alliance member. Subscribe and listen to “The Race to Near Space” on your preferred podcast platform:

The Race to Near Space: Skydiving from 135,000 feet with Alan Eustace

In October 2014, Alan Eustace donned a specially designed space suit and strapped himself to a balloon filled with 35,000 cubic feet of helium. Over nearly two hours, he ascended to just over 135,000 feet above the ground. Then he cut himself loose. Listen to our conversation with Alan Eustace — the world altitude record holder for skydiving and one of the few humans to have physically experienced the stratosphere. Subscribe and listen to “The Race to Near Space” on your preferred podcast platform:

Introducing “The Race to Near Space”: the HAPS Alliance Podcast

Tune in to “The Race to Near Space,” and be prepared for a journey filled with awe-inspiring tales of innovation, unwavering determination, and ingenious solutions. Here, you’ll gain insights into the possibilities that the stratosphere presents to us all. Subscribe and listen to “The Race to Near Space” on your preferred podcast platform: