lighter-than-air vehicles - Defense Innovation Marketplace

Table 36: Skybus Technical SpecificationsLength: 136 ft.Diameter: 48 ft.Figure 55: Payload Mounted On Airship; AWSS (left) and Gondola With MX-14 Turret (right) 54Flight Ceiling:10,000 ft. (MSL)Duration: 19 hoursVolume: 80,600 cu. ft.Max Payload: 500 lbs.Cruise Speed: 45kts.Mass: CurrentlyUnavailablePayload Type: ISR,COMMSPayload Power:15.6 kWFigure 56: View From Skybus Payload 54After assuming control of the program,SAIC made modifications to addresstechnical issues with the SASS Lite versionand redesigned the fins and flight controlsystems. SAIC fabricated the newcomponents and completed integration onthe newly designated SKYBUS 30K. SAICthen worked with the Federal AviationAdministration (FAA) to gain experimentalcertification, which was granted on 22 May2007. The first flight of the SKYBUS 30Kwas conducted on 8 June 2007, and a total of51 flights were conducted accumulatingapproximately 80 hours of flight time. 14From the 30K experience and understandingthe deficiencies of the SASS Lite envelope,SAIC proposed and outlined the totally newSkybus 80K in 2007, which was designed tomeet OSD specified requirements to fly 500lbs. of useful payload to 10,000 ft. altitude(MSL) for a 24-hour mission with 25 kt.winds aloft. OSD provided initial funding,and NAVAIR took the programmanagement role. The 80K contract wasawarded on 14 March 2008, with the FederalAviation Administration (FAA) certificationprocess started on 30 May 2008. The airshipwas completed by the end of July 2008.59