Balloon network with free-space optical communication between super-node balloons and RF communication between super-node and sub-node balloons

A network system comprising:

• a plurality of balloons that collectively operate as a hierarchical balloon network, wherein the plurality of balloons comprise at least a plurality of first balloons and a plurality of second balloons;
• wherein each of the second balloons comprises a radio-frequency (RF) communication system that is operable for data communications;
• wherein each of the first balloons comprises a free-space optical communication system that is operable for packet-data communication with one or more other first balloons, and wherein at least one of the first balloons comprises both:
• (a) the free-space optical communication system that is operable for packet-data communication with one or more other first balloons and (b) an RF communication system that is operable to transmit data to at least one second balloon;
• and
• wherein the RF communication system of the at least one second balloon is operable to receive the data transmitted by the at least one first balloon and to transmit the received data to at least one ground-based station.