Web services have become an indispensable part of people's lives, and is currently still using optical transmission network, in forests, mountains, islands and other remote areas of complex terrain, many users still can not use a stable network services, the high cost of laying fiber optic cable, especially in the Southern Hemisphere most countries, the cost of network services almost more than the per capita monthly income.
Google X Labs is able to give a wider range of users to provide a stable network services, consuming 18 month launched a balloon network planning. Around the entire project "balloon ring" concept launched, the user signal transmission network, the balloon flying in the stratosphere, so as to lie beneath the balloon Internet access services to users, the system can ensure a more rapid and more stable network services, wind in the stratosphere balloon flight altitude for civil aircraft flying twice the height. Google hopes to be able to Loon plan for rural remote areas and other network services provide users with a lower level of selection in natural disasters also provide communication supplement.
Google X Labs scientists have carried out projects in New Zealand South Island test, the first of 30 translucent flying altitude balloons, these balloons of the energy comes from solar energy, the bottom of the balloon hanging a solar panel, full of energy required 4 time for balloon flight one day. The signal ground network site uploaded to high air balloons, each balloon can be described as 1250km ^ 2 area to provide network services, the service range is equivalent to two New York City area, and is not subject to any restrictions on complex terrain. The first test involved a total of 49 local users, these users now need to pay a monthly satellite network service fee of up to $ 1,000.
Google said the next phase of testing will be flying 3,000 balloons, connecting from New Zealand to South America, in latitude 40 degrees to form a balloon ring. Loon project's final vision of thousands of balloons flying in the stratosphere, the world's 4.8 billion users with network services, which will save a lot of cost of laying fiber optic cable.
