Project Loon: Difference between revisions
No edit summary |
No edit summary |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
'''Project Loon''' is a [[Google]] project at that aims to provide internet access to the two-thirds of the world's population which does not have internet access. It focuses on developing countries, rural and remote areas and areas that have suffered natural disasters. It uses high-altitude balloons that float between 10km to 60km above the Earth's surface -- generally higher than airplanes and the weather -- and utilizes software algorithms to carefully position balloons within wind patterns. Google has partnered with telecommunications to share cellular spectrums, thus transforming the floating balloons into large-scale wireless networks for use on phones and other LTE-enabled devices.<ref>[http://www.google.com/loon/ Google Loon], Google.com. Retrieved 16th December 2014. Updated 2016 April 20.</ref><ref name="how">[http://www.google.com/loon/how/ How Loon Works], Google.com. Retrieved 2016 April 20.</ref> | '''Project Loon''' is a [[Google]] project at that aims to provide internet access to the two-thirds of the world's population which does not have internet access. It focuses on developing countries, rural and remote areas and areas that have suffered natural disasters. It uses high-altitude balloons that float between 10km to 60km above the Earth's surface -- generally higher than airplanes and the weather -- and utilizes software algorithms to carefully position balloons within wind patterns. Google has partnered with telecommunications to share cellular spectrums, thus transforming the floating balloons into large-scale wireless networks for use on phones and other LTE-enabled devices.<ref>[http://www.google.com/loon/ Google Loon], Google.com. Retrieved 16th December 2014. Updated 2016 April 20.</ref><ref name="how">[http://www.google.com/loon/how/ How Loon Works], Google.com. Retrieved 2016 April 20.</ref> | ||
Made from sheets of polyethtylene plastic and measuring fifteen meters wide and twelve meters tall when inflated, the balloons last for about 100 days. | On the 15th December 2014, it was announced that the French Space Agency [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CNES CNES] had formed a partnership with Google on Project Loon.<ref>[http://www.techtimes.com/articles/22161/20141215/google-project-loon-teams-french-space-agency-develop-next-generation.htm Google partners with French space agency for Project Loon] Techtimes, retrieved 17th December 2014.</ref> | ||
==Technology== | |||
Made from sheets of polyethtylene plastic and measuring fifteen meters wide and twelve meters tall when inflated, the balloons last for about 100 days and withstand sub-zero temperatures. This progress was achieved in only a year; original versions included a number of different shapes and designs and lasted only one to two days.<ref name="manufacture">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVhS1axhzRs Manufacturing For The Stratosphere], YouTube.com. Published 2015 November 24. Retrieved 2016 April 20.</ref> | |||
Each balloon is powered by solar panels and a box of electronics which controls the system and has radio antennas which allows them to communicate with other balloons and antennas on the ground.<ref name="how"></ref> | |||
{{#ev:youtube|YVhS1axhzRso|500}} | |||
==Pilot Tests== | |||
Project Loon hs undertaken a number of pilot tests, which are being used to improve technology for the next stages of the project.<ref name="how"></ref> | |||
Project Loon began in June 2013 with an experimental pilot in New Zealand. | ===New Zealand=== | ||
Project Loon began in June 2013 with an experimental pilot in New Zealand. Thirty balloons were launched, offering fifty individuals in the Christchurch area access to internet.<ref name="nz">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNCFc00oejE Project Loon: New Zealand Pilot Test], YouTube.com. Published 2013 June 17. Retrieved 2016 April 20.</ref> | |||
== | ===Brazil=== | ||
Project Loon tested its technology at Linoca Gayoso, a rural school in Northeast Brazil which had never before had internet access. | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
{{reflist}} | {{reflist}} | ||
Revision as of 16:40, 20 April 2016
Project Loon is a Google project at that aims to provide internet access to the two-thirds of the world's population which does not have internet access. It focuses on developing countries, rural and remote areas and areas that have suffered natural disasters. It uses high-altitude balloons that float between 10km to 60km above the Earth's surface -- generally higher than airplanes and the weather -- and utilizes software algorithms to carefully position balloons within wind patterns. Google has partnered with telecommunications to share cellular spectrums, thus transforming the floating balloons into large-scale wireless networks for use on phones and other LTE-enabled devices.[1][2]
On the 15th December 2014, it was announced that the French Space Agency CNES had formed a partnership with Google on Project Loon.[3]
Technology
Made from sheets of polyethtylene plastic and measuring fifteen meters wide and twelve meters tall when inflated, the balloons last for about 100 days and withstand sub-zero temperatures. This progress was achieved in only a year; original versions included a number of different shapes and designs and lasted only one to two days.[4]
Each balloon is powered by solar panels and a box of electronics which controls the system and has radio antennas which allows them to communicate with other balloons and antennas on the ground.[2]
Pilot Tests
Project Loon hs undertaken a number of pilot tests, which are being used to improve technology for the next stages of the project.[2]
New Zealand
Project Loon began in June 2013 with an experimental pilot in New Zealand. Thirty balloons were launched, offering fifty individuals in the Christchurch area access to internet.[5]
Brazil
Project Loon tested its technology at Linoca Gayoso, a rural school in Northeast Brazil which had never before had internet access.
References
- ↑ Google Loon, Google.com. Retrieved 16th December 2014. Updated 2016 April 20.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 How Loon Works, Google.com. Retrieved 2016 April 20.
- ↑ Google partners with French space agency for Project Loon Techtimes, retrieved 17th December 2014.
- ↑ Manufacturing For The Stratosphere, YouTube.com. Published 2015 November 24. Retrieved 2016 April 20.
- ↑ Project Loon: New Zealand Pilot Test, YouTube.com. Published 2013 June 17. Retrieved 2016 April 20.