Google Loon

Some time ago the Google company began the Loon project which purpose was a sending to a stratosphere of a set of the balloons working as Internet access points, and providing with the Internet all globe. In particular, the Internet will appear also in the most unsuccessful regions of Africa and Asia.^[1]

Diameter of each balloon is about 15 meters, they fly at the height about 20 km that is approximately twice higher, than airplanes. Thus, Internet spheres of Google soar in a stratosphere, slowly drifting together with air flows. As at different height in a stratosphere winds of the different direction blow, it is possible to move a sphere, changing height of its flight just a little.

The equipment located on spheres has a communication channel with the equipment on the earth. At the same time all spheres exchange data with each other. At some point the signal "arrives goes down on the earth" and goes to local Internet service provider for technical support. In general, the Google company creates the structure similar to the base stations of cellular communication located on Earth in air.

All energy demands of spheres are satisfied with a set of solar batteries. Each start requires approval of air traffic controllers. Descent of balls for holding actions of technical support and repair, also requires approval.

30 Internet spheres in New Zealand are started. Access rate which is provided by the Loon project approximately corresponds to communication 3G.

[1] Bill Gates, the former founder and the head of Microsoft company, and nowadays famous philanthropist who is working hard in the poorest countries through Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation also fell upon this project. In an interview to the Business Week edition he told: "When you will die of malaria and look up at the Google balloon, it will help nothing to you. It is necessary to provide the poorest regions of Earth with food, vaccines and drugs". Mr. Gates also noted that he is a big adherent of digital revolution, and considers that it is very useful to connect to the Internet of school and hospital, but for the poorest regions the main thing, according to him, is fight against diseases, but not flights in clouds. On researches of malaria and poliomyelitis the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation already offered $2 billion.

The Silicon Valley Business Journal edition wrote that "Bill took a bazooka and brought down all spheres of Google down to the ground". But whether the Loon project how Mr. Gates describes it is so useless? Unfortunately, many poorest regions cannot independently adjust at themselves medical care, create an education system, and they need the external help. The question of whether the Loon project will be useful, sends us to ancient popular wisdom – what to give hungry, fish or a rod. Bill Gates believes that fish. Google, it seems, votes for a rod. Access to all knowledge of mankind for inhabitants of unsuccessful regions will be very useful and can supplement initiatives of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

2021: Project closure

On January 21, 2021 the Alphabet company which basis is the Internet giant Google, announced project closure of Loon which purpose consisted in ensuring wireless connection to the Internet in remote regions of the world using stratospheric spheres.

Nearly ten years later after a project startup the company stated that it is forced to close Loon because does not see a method to cut down expenses for creation of steady business.

Alphabet closed the Loon project on start on start of aerostats for Internet access on all Earth

The CEO of Loop Alastair Vestgart noted:

In spite of the fact that we managed to get support of several partners on our way, we did not find a method to reduce costs to rather low level for creation of long-term and steady business. Development of radical new technologies is in essence risky, but from it it is not easier for me to report these news.

Vestgart noted that the project team is proud of the fact that it became the catalyst of development of an ecosystem of the organizations working on ensuring communication from a stratosphere.

Multilevel approach to connection - land is necessary for the world, stratospheric and space - because each level is suitable for the solution of different tasks. In this Loon area made an important contribution, - the CEO of Loop explained.

Just as the solutions Loon are based on the innovative work done by specialists from different areas - from aircraft to meteorology and artificial intelligence, in the company hope that some Loon technologies will live and their development will be kept by the next generation of innovators. For example, the navigation system announced by Loon with deep learning already set experts thinking on application development for monitoring of the vital functions of Earth and even a research of other planets.

Loon optical communication links with high capacity (20 and it is more than A Gbps), which were for the first time used for data transmission between balloons in a stratosphere, are already used in Project Taara. The command of this project is engaged in providing Internet access to inhabitants of some regions of Africa.^[2]

2017: Grouping of satellites of Google will cover 75% of the terrestrial territory

On January 25, 2017 it became known of intention of Google to continue work directed to distribution of the Internet worldwide. The corporation already implemented the project within which at all railway stations of India free Wi-Fi is provided to passengers. And within an initiative of Loon it is going to use the drifting aerostats for creation of mobile networks 4G.

Google Loon (2017)

Grouping consists of two levels of the satellites located on geostationary and not geostationary earth orbits. In relation to the equator each level will have own height and slope angle.

It is planned that grouping will include about one thousand satellites, and data exchange will be performed by means of numerous ground stations. Levels it is going to locate so that the coverage made about 75% of the land surface, at the same time the top level blocks lower — it will allow to prevent possible shutdowns of communication.

2014: Loon is going to start in the Northern hemisphere

On October 02, 2014 it became known of intention of Google to test the Loon project which is earlier tested in Australia and New Zealand in the Northern hemisphere.

As Kommersant reported, with reference to an informed source, the Google corporation addressed Rostelecom with the offer of cooperation in the Loon project recently. According to the informant, Rostelecom can be interested to participate in the project, but the possible role of the operator is not mentioned.

The Russian representative office of Google did not confirm information and did not disprove.

"We do not comment on any internal processes" — Svetlana Anurova, the representative of Google company said.

Announced work on the Loon Google project in June, 2013. A project objective — to create the system of the balloons providing with Internet access of inhabitants of hardly accessible regions of the world at a speed comparable with a speed of the existing 3G networks (and it is probable quicker). Google calls it the social project, reasoning with data of 66% of inhabitants of the planet which are not able to afford fast connection with the Internet. In addition to directly land difficulties — the jungle, archipelagoes, mountains, there are serious problems with cost.

Start of Loon in Chile

The principle of work of Loon means the movement of network of balloons (on 15 m in the diameter everyone) in Earth stratosphere at the height about 20 km. Spheres should be equipped with the base station and network equipment. Aerostats will redirect a wireless internet from local providers on the territory with a diameter up to 40 km. For Internet access from Loon it is necessary to have the small antenna of the size of a tennis ball on the rooftop. The antenna is connected to the computer.

The experimental program from 50 balloons began to work in June, 2013 over islands of New Zealand.

Start of Loon in New Zealand (Christchurch)

According to the Kommersant edition, in plans of Google - system testing in the Northern hemisphere of the planet.

See Also

• Facebook Internet.org

Notes