Wednesday, August 23, 2006

CNN news: Wireless robots may float above Earth

Tuesday, August 22, 2006; Posted: 9:34 p.m. EDT (01:34 GMT)

PALMDALE, California (AP) -- Bob Jones has a lofty idea for improving communications around the world: Strategically float robotic airships above Earth as an alternative to unsightly telecom towers on the ground and expensive satellites in space.

Jones, a former NASA manager, envisions a fleet of unmanned "Stratellites" hovering in the atmosphere and blanketing large swaths of territory with wireless access for high-speed data and voice communications.

The idea of using airships as communications platforms isn't new _ it was widely floated during the dot-com boom. It didn't really fly then, and Jones is the first to admit the latest venture is a gamble.

See the full article.

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