The Lighter-Than-Air Vehicle Center of Academy of Opto-Electronics (AOE) of Chinese Academy of Science (CAS), founded in July 2005, currently includes 40 research and technical staff and 10 graduate students.

　　The LTA Vehicle Center mainly focuses on lighter-than-air vehicle design and applied technology, balloon space exploration technology. Through decades of effort, the LTA Vehicle Center has accomplished programs including high-altitude balloon technology development and application projects, Chinese first small modern tethered balloon system and several airship research projects.

　　The main research directions of the LTA Vehicle Center include:

　　1.High-altitude balloon system.

　　2.Tethered balloon platform.

　　Modern airship including stratospheric airship.