Advanced Soaring Concepts Apex

Overview

The Advanced Soaring Concepts Apex was a remotely piloted, high-altitude research sailplane developed by Advanced Soaring Concepts in collaboration with NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center (now Armstrong Flight Research Center). The project aimed to study aerodynamic phenomena in the upper atmosphere, particularly at altitudes around 100,000 feet (30,480 meters), to inform the design of future high-altitude aircraft and potential Mars exploration vehicles.