[Noisebridge-discuss] cell towers flying on weather balloons

David Molnar dmolnar at gmail.com
Sat Sep 18 17:18:43 UTC 2010


OpenBTS + Spacebridge opportunity? Just need to find some way to avoid
mishaps with the FAA...
http://www.wirelessestimator.com/t_content.cfm?pagename=Tower%20Site%20Zoning

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FAA may be concerned about cell tower in the sky
May 30, 2009
MESA, AZ - Airport officials received a number of calls from Mesa
residents during the early morning hours about a UFO over the airport
as they witnessed a large balloon with blinking lights descend from
the dark sky. Friday the airport was still in possession of the
object.

"The airport is concerned, and we're forwarding our incident report to
the FAA to address that concern," said Brian Sexton, spokesman for the
airport, regarding the incident that was first reported at 6:28 a.m.

The UFO turned out to be what is being described as a cell tower in the sky.

Space Data Corp. Chairman and CEO Jerry Knoblach said the individual
units usually hover for about 24 hours at an altitude of 80,000 feet
before they make their parachute-controlled descent back to earth.
"Space Data operates a wireless network that marries weather balloon
technology and the cell tower," he said of the picnic-basket-sized
communication devices. "It's basically a cell tower in the sky, and
the entire state of Arizona could be covered by one of them."

Sexton said his issue was one of concern for safety involving the
parachute dropping in the middle of a busy airport.

Knoblach said the airport was a glitch and his company launches
countless SkySites with little to no concern in the aviation
community.



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