The Altair demonstration project (2005) included the NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory, NOAA Ocean Service, NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. Altair is a high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial system built initially to support NASA's Earth science research needs. Altair has a wingspan of 86 feet; payload of 660 pounds of sensors/equipment; and flies at 52,000 feet for more than 30 hours.