Hosted Payload Development Program

Stratoship will start taking bookings for our 2027 Hosted Payload Program flights in early 2027, subject to the progress of our test flight program.

Payload ridesharers share the cost of the test flights with Stratoship, making it an accessible option for universities, startups, and R&D programs.

Contact us to enquire.

Are you looking to test your technology in the stratosphere?

Stratoship is performing R&D flights of our high-altitude airship through 2027. We welcome partners who want to test their payload or new application with us on these flights. Our stratospheric flights serve as a real-world validation environment between ground testing and deployment that offers benefits including:

  • A space-like environment for testing. It's the closest you'll get to space, without going to space.

  • Unlike a space flight, you get your payload back at the end of the flight.

  • More time in the stratosphere per flight compared to a balloon, and we have a propulsion system for manoeuvring and positioning.

Rideshare on the Stratoship can be used for proof of concept validation, payload testing or research, and is ideal for any organisation looking to develop persistent or localised capabilities from the stratosphere or test a hosted payload in a near-space environment.

View of the Earth's atmosphere from the stratosphere with the sun shining brightly and a Stratoship partially visible in the upper right corner.

We’re making the process as straightforward as we can: 

  1. Tell us a bit about your payload using the form below. Let us know if you need us to sign an NDA.

  2. We follow up with a call to get some further details from you and discuss any specific needs you have.

  3. We provide you with an estimate and indicative timing.

  4. We integrate your payload so it’s ready to fly.

  5. We fly your payload on the Stratoship in remote outback Queensland, Australia.

A large metallic Stratoship in an indoor gymnasium, with two people standing near it.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Whenever we conduct a test flight for our prototype high-altitude airship, we often have spare payload capacity on board. We welcome anyone who wants to test their technology in the stratosphere to use some or all of that capacity on a cost sharing basis.

  • We’re open to payloads of all kinds, including sensors, communications devices, research, school and art projects.

  • We’re aiming for the stratosphere, above 60,000 feet (18.3 kilometres). These are experimental flights, and we will be changing aspects of each flight, including the altitude. Please contact us if you have any specific altitude requirements.

  • The first few flights are expected to last around 4 to 6 hours from launch to landing, including around 2 to 4 hours in the stratosphere. We’re planning to progress to longer-duration test flights later in the campaign.

  • Our two CASA-approved test flight locations are located in remote outback Western Queensland.

  • At this time we’re only offering rideshare on our R&D test flights at our approved locations.

    Once we have a dozen or so successful flights behind us, we’ll be able to start considering any requests for other locations.

  • R&D partners share the cost of the test flights with Stratoship.

    The exact cost will depend on your payload’s weight, size, integration complexity, and requirements. Rideshare can be an accessible way to test your technology in a real-world environment.

View of Earth's curvature from high altitude, showing patchwork farmland and clear blue sky

Contact Us -

Stratoship Hosted Payload Development

Curved horizon of Earth from high altitude with clouds and dark blue sky fading into space.
The Stratoship SZ-155 partially inflated at night with group of people in safety vests and orange traffic cones underneath, surrounded by dark sky and grassy area.