A cutting-edge solar electric aircraft capable of reaching the stratosphere is now on display at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand in Wigram.

Canterbury company Kea Aerospace has loaned its Atmos Mk 1a prototype to the museum for public viewing as part of the launch of the new Waitaha Canterbury Aerospace Strategy.

The featherweight aircraft, which weighs just 40 kilograms but boasts a 12.5 metre wingspan, can fly as high as 65,000 feet and stay airborne for months at a time.

Kea Aerospace Chief Executive Officer Mark Rocket, described as the first New Zealander to enter space, leads the Christchurch-based team behind the technology.

The Atmos Mk 1a completed 11 test flights between March 2023 and January 2024. The New Zealand Defence Force has reportedly expressed interest in the aircraft for maritime monitoring and land-based sensing.

The museum described the aircraft as a “new kid in town” and said the facility is “much more Atmos-pheric with this new pioneer aboard.”

The Atmos will be on display at the Air Force Museum for one month.