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AeroVironment Helios Prototype
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<p>The Helios Prototype was the fourth and final aircraft developed as part of an evolutionary series of <a href="/facts/Solar_energy/YBSajyN4">solar</a>- and <a href="/facts/Fuel_cell/UcMYnCW3">fuel-cell</a>-system-powered <a href="/facts/Unmanned_aerial_vehicle/qt87T19t">unmanned aerial vehicles</a>. <a href="/facts/AeroVironment/WvAy2kaR">AeroVironment, Inc.</a> developed the vehicles under NASA's <a href="/facts/NASA_ERAST_Program/AhLBUL8T">Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology</a> (ERAST) program. They were built to develop the technologies that would allow long-term, high-altitude aircraft to serve as <a href="/facts/Atmospheric_satellite/r6QYp9TU">atmospheric satellites</a>, to perform atmospheric research tasks as well as serve as communications platforms. It was developed from the <a href="/facts/NASA_Pathfinder/W7x866tP">NASA Pathfinder</a> and <a href="/facts/NASA_Centurion/dcAAXrun">NASA Centurion</a> aircraft. </p>