Sceye and SoftBank Achieve First Stratospheric Laser Tracking

The demonstration utilized a corner cube reflector mounted on the Sceye platform and a portable tracking system derived from Hitotsubashi University’s satellite laser ranging technology. As the HAPS moved through the stratosphere, the ground team directed pulses toward the craft, successfully capturing reflected signals despite atmospheric interference. According to Sceye CTO Johnny Truong, maintaining the beam on a moving target at such distances is comparable to keeping a laser pointer focused on a coin ten miles away.

This test provides critical data on light attenuation, which will inform the design of future optical communication modules for stratospheric deployment. The broader goal is to create high-speed, non-terrestrial networks capable of transmitting large volumes of Earth observation data or restoring connectivity in disaster zones. During the same 30-day ST1 mission, which saw the platform travel nearly 30,000 kilometers, Sceye also demonstrated direct-to-device cellular connectivity and edge computing capabilities, proving the platform's utility as a multi-purpose node in the sky.