Red Balloon Aerospace Develops Stratospheric Platforms For Near-Space Testing In India

13 Oct 2026, 12:05 pm · 5h ago · 1 min read · YourStory

Vijayawada-based spacetech startup Red Balloon Aerospace is building near-space infrastructure using stratospheric airships, aerostats, and super-pressure balloons. Founded in 2025 by former Skyroot Aerospace vice presidents CVS Kiran and Sireesh Pallikonda, the startup targets high-altitude operations between 20 km and 50 km above Earth. Its flagship platform, HELIX, is an autonomous stratospheric airship designed for long-duration missions alongside the VISTA balloon and ALTIS aerostat. In May, the company successfully launched VISTA from Vijayawada to an altitude of nearly 25 km, aiming to provide affordable high-altitude testing grounds for space payloads.