Google Balloon: Top Secret Project Launched

I think this is pretty cool

A remote spot in New Zealand is the site for the first test of an imaginative bid to link billions across the globe to the web.

Google has unveiled plans to provide the internet to the billions who cannot currently access the web - using balloons circling the globe. The internet giant's secretive X research lab is behind the move, called Project Loon in recognition of how strange the idea sounds. Scientists launched a trial on Saturday in New Zealand's South Island, letting off a string of jellyfish-shaped balloons in the sky about Lake Tekapo. The aim is for the flimsy helium-filled inflatables, which are made from plastic film, to beam the internet back down to earth as they sail past on the wind.

This could dramatically increase internet use in areas such as Africa and southeast Asia.

I think its kinda funny how they marked the houses of the 50 people who were trialing the new service, they attached large red google map pins to the outside walls of their homes lol

Here is the Sky News link for more info :-)

This cool! It's nice to know that at least some people are trying to spread the wonders and negatives of the internet to all parts of the globe.

But I have to be honest, this won't catch on. Think about it, one bird or plane flies into one of them things and dammit... You'll be waiting a long time for your video to buffer!

Originally posted by brace22
This cool! It's nice to know that at least some people are trying to spread the wonders and negatives of the internet to all parts of the globe.

But I have to be honest, this won't catch on. Think about it, one bird or plane flies into one of them things and dammit... You'll be waiting a long time for your video to buffer!

To answer your question

They travel below satellites but twice as high as aeroplanes, and receive signals from ground stations below.

My questions are how long will they stay aloft before the helium degrades and it plummets to earth with all the solar equipment and radio electronics in the middle of the ocean and needs replaced? what kind of latency will the service have cause satellite sucks will this be alot better or about the same? with helium around the world running out how much of the worlds supply will this use annually?Will the service be unlimited internet service or capped like the telecoms seem to do with there wireless services? What kind of bandwidth can this service handle and through put? would you lose signal during storms? will this be like 4g?

reply to post by pez1975


I f Google is using the high-pressure balloon design developed by NASA for long-term research, each balloon should be able to stay aloft for several weeks, at least; possibly even several months.

Since these balloons will not be manned, there is really no reason why they would need to use helium as the lifting gas; hydrogen would be far more efficient, cheaper, and there is no shortage of hydrogen.

Permeability of the gas envelope would be the only real limiting factor; the hydrogen atom is so much smaller than the helium atom it can make long-term leakage through the lifting-cell envelope material a real problem for flight duration.


As far as flight-path control is concerned, I'd strongly recommend that Google contact the folks at JP Aerospace about long-term, high-altitude, automomous airship designs with full aerodynamic station-keeping capabilities.

The JPA Tandem airship has already flight-proven many of the capabilities Google is seeking.

Interesting. I say interesting for two reasons. First of all, its incredible that people who have been unable to achieve internet connectivity, may be able to in the near future, because of this development, and it will be interesting to see how the wider web evolves as a result of the new uptake.

And also of interest, is how hard the interveiwees worked to avoid using phrases like "sky net", rather than the less worrying, "network in the sky".

So 'top secret' theres a video about it on YouTube and it was posted at ATS months ago?

right here is there top secret home receiver




here is what is inside



specs on the receiver can be seen here.

Rocket M5

Originally posted by pez1975
what kind of latency will the service have cause satellite sucks will this be alot better or about the same?

Nowhere near as bad as satellite, they orbit at something like 22,000 miles above the Earth, so your Google search has to travel 44,000 miles (at the speed of light) to the server, then your results have the 44,000 miles to travel back to you.....88,000 miles just to find a decent pub review!

Google balloons will only be 12 miles up.

reply to post by woogleuk


The receiver specs are pretty awesome

Breakthrough speed 150+ Mbps real TCP/IP throughput.

Low latency looks promising.

As you can see I have done some further research into this project since my original post.

I live out in the country and have limited high speed internet options at my disposal, if they would offer unlimited access with good speeds, and low latency under 80ms. I would be willing to buy it and spend 80.00 a month for a good service but i think Storms would be a problem losing connectivity during storms.

Originally posted by Lady_Tuatha

Google has unveiled plans to provide the internet to the billions who cannot currently access the web...

NOooo! That means millions of new trolls and spammers will clog up then interwebz!

All kidding aside, it's awesome for them!