Ibadan, June 4, 2024. – A consortium of Japanese companies led by NTT DOCOMO, Inc. and Space Compass Corporation, together with Mizuho Bank Limited and the Development Bank of Japan Inc., has committed to invest $100 million in AALTO HAPS Limited (“AALTO”), which manufactures and operates the stratospheric, solar-powered Zephyr High Altitude Platform Station (HAPS). The investment will be made through the Japanese consortium's investment vehicle, HAPS JAPAN Corporation.
This investment marks the beginning of a strategic alliance to commercialize Earth observation and connectivity services using HAPS in Japan and throughout Asia. It will also support the industrial and commercial roadmap for AALTO services, aiming for a launch in Japan and entry into global service in 2026.
Flying for months in the stratosphere, Zephyr offers transformative capabilities for mobile connectivity and Earth observation. As a payload-agnostic platform, Zephyr can transform into a multifunctional tower in the sky to provide low-latency direct-to-device 5G mobile connectivity services. Leveraging Airbus' EO service, Strat-Observer, Zephyr can also meet different tracking, tracking, detection and sensing applications. Therefore, AALTO is suitable for various use cases, such as expanding mobile network operator (MNO) coverage.
Takaaki Sato, Chief Technology Officer of NTT DOCOMO, said: “NTT DOCOMO continues to improve network quality and is focusing on establishing new technological frontiers that improve access to connectivity services. “Working with our partners Space Compass, AALTO and Airbus, we are excited about the potential of HAPS-based NTN solutions.” The CTO also added. “This technology combines unique cutting-edge engineering with economics that are aligned to expand coverage to rural and remote areas, and support our collective response to natural disasters.”
Koichiro Matsufuji, co-CEO of Space Compass Corporation, added: “As a leading HAPS technology of its kind, Zephyr is a unique capability that we will leverage for years to come.”
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