Given the ubiquity of technology in modern society, it may come as a shock to you that there are corners of the world not yet reached by the Internet. That may soon change though.
Solar Powered Balloons
Google’s parent company Alphabet is working to bring Internet connection to hard-to-reach places in Kenya and other countries.
Through Project Loon, the California-based conglomerate is making and sending out solar-powered balloons in the stratosphere to enable those on the ground to connect to the Internet.
Loon stations, reports say, are currently primarily used in replacement of infrastructure damaged by disasters. However, Loon CEO Alastair Westgarth reveals that they are busy with much bigger plans.
He said that they hope to become a ‘third layer of connectivity’ next to on-ground cell towers and satellites orbiting in space. In the end, Loon wants to serve as the ‘operating system’ when it comes to global connectivity in the future.
How it Works
The solar-powered balloons are launched in stations located in Puerto Rico and California using 90-foot-tall automated machines. Currently, the invention has the ability to float 60,000 feet in just half an hour.
The floating stations are propelled and stirred through pressure and helium as directed by the machines’ algorithms. Loon balloons are bound to bring internet connectivity to a 50,000-square-kilometer area in Kenya, which is otherwise inaccessible via land.
The project is done in partnership with one of the largest internet service providers in the African country, Telkon. A total of 35 balloons are set to be released in Kenya’s stratosphere to maintain stable connectivity in the region.
Each balloon reportedly has a lifespan of 150 days, with some even functioning for as long as 223 days.
Positive Results
And it looks like Alphabet and Loon’s hard work is now paying off. Around 35,000 users have reportedly been connected to the Internet thanks to solar-powered balloons.
Just last year, Loon managed to establish internet connectivity in a rural area in Peru after an 8.0 magnitude earthquake caused the destruction of the country’s infrastructure.
Since then, the company has signed a new deal with Internet Para Todos Perú (IpT) to continue with its pioneering efforts. This new phase’s goal is to connect around 200,000 indigenous people to the Internet.
