Airbus Wants to Replace Satellites With High-Flying Drones

When Sputnik 1 reached low Earth orbit in 1957, it did more than kick-start America's space program and send American schoolchildren scurrying for cover under their desks. It launched the satellite age. The orbiting platforms, which now number in the thousands, revolutionized communication, navigation, and watching football. Satellites, though, are expensive to build, expensive to launch, and difficult to update once in orbit. They're relatively cheap, easily launched, and readily updated.