Project Loon

As Americans, we tend to just assume that the entire world has internet access.  However, two-thirds of the world's population doesn't have it yet.  Google has developed a project entitled "Project Loon", named for its outlandish mission goals.

So what exactly is Project Loon? Google says that "Project Loon is a network of balloons traveling on the edge of space, designed to connect people in rural and remote areas, help fill coverage gaps, and bring people online after disasters".

This project uses high-altitude balloons (as seen above) that are placed in the stratosphere in order to create a wireless, aerial network with up to 3G-like speed. By using wind data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the balloons' altitude is adjusted after identifying with the desired wind layer with the desired speed and direction from the data received.

In June of 2013, the pilot experiment was begun in New Zealand.  This pilot experiment sent 30 balloons up into the stratosphere. About 50 locals were able to test the connections.  The next step is to send 300 balloons around the 40th parallel south in order to provide coverage to New Zealand, Australia, Chile, and Argentina.  After that, Google hopes to have thousands of balloons flying in the stratosphere.

So, you're probably asking yourself, what's the point of this?  Well, the technology that is being used in this project could potentially allow countries not to have to use the expensive underground fiber cable.  Google believes it will increase internet usage in developing nations that cannot afford to lay fiber cable.

Google is up to some really innovative things.  To know more about Project Loon and other Google Projects:

• http://www.google.com/loon/
• https://plus.google.com/+ProjectLoon/posts
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_X
• https://www.google.com/ideas/projects/