Abstract: Stratospheric balloon (airship) communication is a communication means appeared in recent years. For realizing the transmission of message, it utilizes an airship-borne communication platform, which floats in the sky at an altitude of 20 to 50km above the earth. Great attention was paid to the communication system by many countries because of its unique advantages such as appropriate coverage range, low cost, high safety and reliability, and it will have a much attractive applicaiton prospects. This paper briefly introduces the development and application of stratospheric balloon borne communication system at home and abroad and describes each unit of the system, performance and application prospects in detail.