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Loon LLC

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Project Loon
File:Project Loon logo.png
Mission statementBalloon-powered Internet for everyone
Commercial?Yes
Type of projectInternet and telecommunication
LocationWorldwide
Websitegoogle.com/loon/
Project Loon balloon event
File:Project Loon.png
An Internet balloon being launched

Project Loon is a research and development project being developed by Google with the mission of providing Internet access to rural and remote areas using high-altitude balloons placed in the stratosphere at an altitude of about 20 km (12 mi) to create an aerial wireless network with up to 3G-like speeds.[1][2][3][4] Even Google thought the idea sounded a bit crazy, hence its project name was dubbed Project Loon by the company.[1][5]

The balloons are maneuvered by adjusting their altitude to float to a wind layer after identifying the wind layer with the desired speed and direction using wind data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Users of the service connect to the balloon network using a special Internet antenna attached to their building. The signal bounces from balloon to balloon, then to a ground-based station connected to an ISP, then onto the global Internet. The system aims to bring Internet access to remote and rural areas poorly served by existing provisions, and to improve communication during natural disasters to affected regions.[5][6] Key people involved in the project include Rich DeVaul, chief technical architect, who is also an expert on wearable technology; Cyrus Behroozi, who is networking and telecommunication lead; and Mike Cassidy, a project leader.[1]

History

In 2008, Google had considered contracting with or acquiring Space Data Corp., a company that sends balloons carrying small base stations about 20 miles up in the air for providing connectivity to truckers and oil companies, but didn't do so.[7]

Unofficial development on the project began in 2011 under incubation in Google X with a series of trial runs in California's Central Valley. The project was officially announced as a Google project on 14 June 2013.[1]

On 16 June 2013, Google began a pilot experiment in New Zealand where about 30 balloons were launched in coordination with the Civil Aviation Authority from the Tekapo area in the South Island. About 50 local users in and around Christchurch and the Canterbury Region will test connections to the aerial network using special antennas.[1] After this initial trial, Google plans on sending up 300 balloons around the world at the fortieth parallel that would provide coverage to New Zealand, Australia, Chile, and Argentina. Google hopes to eventually have thousands of balloons flying in the stratosphere at an altitude of 20 km (12 mi).[1][2]

Technology

The technology designed by Google could allow countries to avoid expensive fiber cable that would have to be placed underground to connect to the Internet. Google feels this will greatly increase the use of the Internet in developing countries that can't afford to lay underground fiber cable, such as countries in Africa and Southeast Asia.[8]

The high-altitude balloons fly around the world on the prevailing winds. Solar panels about the size of a card table that are just below the free-flying balloons generate enough electricity in four hours to power the transmitter for a day and beam down the Internet signal to ground stations. These stations are spaced about 100 km (62 mi) apart and bounce the signal to other relay balloons that send the signal back down until the world is covered with the Internet signal. This then makes the Internet available to anyone in the world that has the receiver.[8]

The first person to connect to the "Google Balloon Internet" after the initial test balloons were launched into the stratosphere was a farmer in the town of Leeston, New Zealand. He was one of 50 people in the New Zealand area around Christchurch who agreed to be a pilot tester for Project Loon. The locals knew nothing about the secret project, but allowed Google to attach a basketball-sized receiver to an outside wall of their property in order to connect to the Internet. The receiver resembles a giant, bright-red Google map pin. The New Zealand farmer lived in a rural location that couldn't get broadband access to the Internet. He had used a satellite Internet service in 2009 but found that he sometimes had to pay over $1000 per month for the service.[8]

The high-altitude balloons fly twice as high as airplanes, but below the range of satellites.[2] Each balloon sends out a signal that covers over 700 square miles. Terrain would not be an issue of coverage since the balloons fly at such high altitudes and would cover all of the world.[8]

Equipment

Project Loon research balloon

The balloon envelopes are made by Raven Aerostar[9] of polyethylene plastic about 3 mil or 0.076 mm (0.0030 in) thick, and stand 15 m (49 ft) across and 12 m (39 ft) tall when fully inflated.[1] A small box weighing 10 kg (22 lb) containing the balloon’s electronic equipment hangs underneath the inflated envelope. This box contains circuit boards that control the system, radio antennas to communicate with other balloons and with Internet antennae on the ground, and batteries to store solar power so the balloons can operate during the night. Each balloon’s electronics are powered by an array of solar panels that sit between the envelope and the hardware. In full sun, these panels produce 100 watts of power, sufficient to keep the unit running while also charging a battery for use at night. A parachute attached to the top of the envelope allows for a controlled descent and landing when a balloon is ready to be taken out of service.[10]

The special ground stations are able to connect to the balloon-powered Internet when the balloons are in a 20 km (12 mi) radius.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Levy, Steven (14 June 2013). "How Google Will Use High-Flying Balloons to Deliver Internet to the Hinterlands". Wired. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
  2. ^ a b c "Google to beam Internet from balloons". AP. Google. 15 June 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  3. ^ "Google launches Project Loon". The New Zealand Herald. 15 June 2013. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
  4. ^ Lardinois, Frederic (14 June 2013). "Google X Announces Project Loon: Balloon-Powered Internet For Rural, Remote And Underserved Areas". TechCrunch. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
  5. ^ a b Mack, Eric (14 June 2013). "Meet Google's 'Project Loon:' Balloon-powered 'net access". CNET. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
  6. ^ a b Brodkin, Jon (14 June 2013). "Google flies Internet balloons in stratosphere for a "network in the sky"". ArsTechnica. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
  7. ^ Sharma, Amol (20 February 2008). "Floating a New Idea For Going Wireless, Parachute Included". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  8. ^ a b c d Perry, Nick (15 June 2013). "Google launches Internet-beaming balloons". AP. Retrieved 17 June 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ "Project Loon: Raven Aerostar - Google Collaboration". Raven Aerostar. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
  10. ^ "How Loon Works". Google. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
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