#Japan #Tokyo #SoftBank Corp #Sceye #HAPS

Introduction

On September 3, 2026, Sceye, an innovative aerospace and materials science firm based in the United States, announced the successful completion of its transpacific mission, known as Service Test 1 (ST1), which connects New Mexico and Japan through stratospheric flights. This mission marks a major milestone in the venture of High-Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS) aimed at enhancing telecommunications and real-time environmental monitoring capabilities.

Overview of the Mission

The ST1 mission covered an impressive distance of over 15,000 km within the stratosphere in just 13 days. It successfully established broadband connectivity directly to mobile devices via SoftBank Corp.'s core network. Additionally, this mission exemplified the potential of HAPS technologies in supporting drone communication and edge computing, essential elements for developing a robust 3D communications network.

The mission was conducted in collaboration with SoftBank Corp. (TOKIO9434), a leading telecommunications provider in Japan and worldwide. The successful outcome of this flight not only marked Sceye's first venture into Asia but also highlighted the future commercial viability of HAPS technology as a foundational infrastructure.

Mikkel Vestergaard Frandsen, Founder and CEO of Sceye, remarked, "This flight signifies a pivotal moment for Sceye and the commercial prospects of HAPS. The journey from the U.S. to Japan illustrates the capability needed to utilize the stratosphere as a viable layer of infrastructure for telecommunications, paving the way for advancements in AI, edge computing, and 6G. We showcase how Sceye can enhance existing networks and ensure large-scale constant connectivity."

Stratospheric Advantages

The stratosphere provides an optimal launch point for effective connectivity and observation, being close enough to Earth to enable strong communication while remaining sufficiently high for extensive coverage. This alternative space-like environment avoids the high costs associated with actual space travel while delivering continued operational stability similar to geostationary satellites.

Sceye's HAPS can maintain an altitude during day and night cycles, positioned much closer to Earth—1,800 times nearer than satellites—with significantly lower operational costs. In 2025, SoftBank Corp. invested in Sceye’s HAPS, recognizing its potential as a scalable solution for complementing terrestrial cell towers and satellite constellations.

Strategic Partnership

This strategic partnership intensifies the collaborative vision of using HAPS and Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) as transformative infrastructures to expand connectivity and support communication in disaster scenarios while enabling future advancements in AI, IoT, airborne communication, and edge computing.

The ST1 mission also delivered SceyeCELL, the world’s first 'Cell Tower in the Sky,' which is designed to provide broadband services directly from the stratosphere to standard devices over vast areas. Once fully operational, a Sceye HAPS is capable of covering an area equivalent to about 500 terrestrial cell towers.

Throughout the ST1 mission, Sceye and SoftBank demonstrated mobile broadband capabilities, including SMS, voice calls, internet access, and video streaming. They also executed tests for emergency services using a specialized alert system designed for major disasters, as well as drone communication operations.

Mission Details

The ST1 mission launched from New Mexico on August 9, 2026, and included notable achievements:

• - Covered over 15,000 km across the Pacific Ocean to Japan in 13 days.
• - Operated for over seven days in Japanese airspace.
• - Maintained continuous positioning in its operational area with a positioning radius of just 5 km.
• - Flew at an altitude of approximately 16.5 km, facilitating telecommunication and emergency communication.
• - Validated communication performance comparable to terrestrial networks while minimizing radio interference from ground-based base stations.

Utilizing a server mounted on the HAPS, Sceye and SoftBank conducted data processing directly on board, achieving an average round-trip response time of 68 milliseconds while reducing communication latency by more than 40% compared to traditional internet-based cloud processing. This marked the first successful test globally featuring a mobile core network and data processing web server installed on a HAPS, enabling the entire response processing to occur on board.

Looking Ahead

ST1 is currently en route back to the United States, making its journey across the Pacific as of this announcement. As Junichi Miyakawa, President and CEO of SoftBank Corp. stated, "SoftBank aims to build a next-generation communication infrastructure that seamlessly connects the ground, sky, and space. The successful transition of Sceye’s HAPS from the U.S. to Japan and its delivery of the first test services from the stratosphere in Japan represents a significant step toward the commercialization of HAPS, with HAPS being central to this vision."

He emphasized plans to collaborate further with Sceye, integrating various technologies including communication and AI to develop HAPS into a new form of societal infrastructure.

The ST1 flight is built upon Sceye's Endurance Program, which recently tested long-term performance with a previous HAPS flight that covered over 10,000 km from New Mexico to Brazil while remaining suspended over its operational area for days in preparation for this Service Test Program culminating in the flight to Japan.

Conclusion

In summary, the successful execution of the ST1 mission reaffirms the potential of HAPS technology as a revolutionary communication medium. With advancements in connectivity and efficiency, Sceye stands at the forefront of providing a groundbreaking, reliable infrastructure for the future of telecommunications worldwide.