Blimp as a satellite

PANAMA CITY, Fla. -- An SUV-sized helium-filled blimp has been catching some attention in Panama City over the past few days. Suspended 500 feet in the air, the Aerostat is tethered to a mobile base equipped with technology to operate unmanned vehicles from shore. The Aerostat acts as a satellite, relaying signals that would otherwise be out of range of the Naval Surface Warfare Center. The primary purpose of the Aerostat tests by the NSWC is to map the range and area in which an Aerostat can be effectively used to extend the range for relaying data. (Source: Panama City News Herald, 04/25/12)