Project Loon from Google X: Solar Powered Balloons Allowing for Worldwide Web Access

By Kris WalkerAug 15 2013

A network of balloons that will travel 20km above the earth's surface giving internet access to remote areas.

The Internet has become a massive part of life with most people accessing it around the world. With the emergence of mobile technology, this coming year could see more mobile devices than human beings.

There are places in the world that can’t access the Internet and the global portal of information that it offers.

Designers for Google X aim to change this and aim to give the entire globe access to the Internet with their latest ‘Project Loon’ innovation.

Essentially, ‘Project Loon’ is a network of balloons that are enabled to connect people in areas where there is no Internet access. Travelling on the edge of space the balloons would be connected to something similar on the ground allowing for connectivity. What is interesting is that these balloons are powered by using renewable energy.

Project Loon: The Technology - Run Time: 4:00mins



Project Loon isn’t just an innovation that could bring the Internet to the masses; it can also be of great use in times of emergency.

Solar panels are placed between the inflatable section of the balloon and can produce up to 100 watts of power which is more than enough to both run the system and store energy. Combine this with the fact that the balloon moves with the wind; ‘Project Loon’ is a technology that operates using only renewable energy.
 

The balloons will connect with systems on the ground.

The inflatable section of the balloon is not to dissimilar to that of weather balloons however, they are made from polyethylene plastic, stand fifteen meters wide and are designed to be superpressure balloons allowing them to last longer than weather balloons. There is also a parachute attached for a controlled landing.

Project Loon isn’t just an innovation that could bring the Internet to the masses; it can also be of great use in times of emergency.

Project Loon could also be a benchmark for future technology that is powered only by renewable energy.

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Image Credit: YouTube
Reference: Project Loon

Project Loon: New Zealand Pilot Test - Run Time: 1:32mins