The stratosphere has long been a challenging environment for aviation. But new designs could usher in a golden age of stratospheric flight. It is June 2022, and a flying machine that looks like a cross between a prehistoric beast and a spaceship is about to take off. Named the Zephyr S , it has long spindly wings the length of an airliner's. Together with its small, thin body and head, these make it resemble a pterodactyl. Its shimmering tinfoil-like solar panels and lightweight skeletal frame are more like something you'd see on a craft meant for space.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20230613-the-planes-that-will-fly-at-the-edge-of-space

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