ABSTRACT
Terrestrial wireless and satellite systems represent two well-established infrastructures that have been dominant in the telecommunications arena for years. Google has envisaged similar wireless communication payload systems based on advanced stratospheric balloon technology to create an aerial wireless network, which they call the “Loon project”. The flexibility of stratospheric communication systems allows not only for carrying wireless communications payloads but also for serving other applications, such as navigation and positioning, monitoring, remote sensing, and surveillance, disaster management and relief, telemedicine, and military applications. New broadband applications have thrived with the advent of 4G and can be provided through stratospheric communications, such as multimedia broadcast and multicast services, Internet-protocol telephony, high-quality voice, high-definition television, mobile television, ultra-broadband Internet access, gaming services, and high-quality streamed multimedia. Communicating through a wireless stratospheric channel is a challenging task because the medium may introduce severe impairments.
