Project Loon is a research and development project developed by X (formerly Google X) with the mission of providing Internet access to rural and remote areas. The project uses high-altitude balloons placed in the stratosphere at an altitude of about 18 km (11 mi) to create a wireless air network at speeds up to 4G-LTE. It's called Project Loon, because even Google itself came up with the idea of ​​providing Internet access to 5 billion people who had never been before and "crazy".
The balloons are moved by adjusting their height in the stratosphere to float to the wind layer after identifying the wind layer with the desired speed and direction using wind data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Service users connect to the balloon network using a dedicated Internet antenna attached to their building. The signal moves through the balloon network from balloon to balloon, then to ground-based stations connected to Internet service providers (ISPs), then to the global Internet. The system aims to bring Internet access to remote and rural areas poorly served by existing provisions, and to improve communications during natural disasters to the affected areas. Key people involved in the project include Rich DeVaul, chief technical architect, who is also an expert in usable technology; Mike Cassidy, a project leader; and Cyrus Behroozi, telecommunications networks and networks.
Balloons use patch antennas - which are directional antennas - to transmit signals to earth stations or LTE users. Some smartphones with Google SIM cards can use Google Internet services. All infrastructure is based on LTE; eNodeB component (equivalent to "base station" that speaks directly to the handset) is carried in a balloon.
Video Project Loon
Timeline
In 2008, Google was deemed to be contracting with or acquiring Space Data Corp., the company that sent balloons carrying a small base station about 20 miles (32 km) in the air to provide connectivity to truckers and oil companies in the southern United States , but do not do it.
Unofficial development on the project began in 2011 under incubation in Google X with a series of trials in California Central Valley. The project was officially announced as a Google project on June 14, 2013.
On June 16, 2013, Google started a pilot experiment in New Zealand where about 30 balloons were launched in coordination with the Civil Aviation Authority from the Tekapo area of ​​the South Island. About 50 local users in and around Christchurch and the Canterbury Region test connections to the air network using a special antenna. Following this initial trial, Google plans to ship 300 balloons worldwide in the 40th south parallel that will provide coverage to New Zealand, Australia, Chile and Argentina. Google hopes to finally have thousands of flying balloons in the stratosphere.
In May 2014, laboratory director of Google X, Astro Teller, announced that, instead of negotiating a free portion of bandwidth for them around the world, they would instead become temporary base stations that can be hired by mobile operators in the country. crossed.
In May-June 2014, Google tested its internet balloon access business in PiauÃÆ', Brazil, marking its first LTE trial and launching it near the equator.
In 2014, Google partnered with the French National Center de Cesens spatiales (CNES) on the project.
In February 2014, a record for the balloons that took place in the stratosphere was 50 days. In November 2014, the record was 130 days, and on March 2, 2015, the record for continuous balloon flights was 187 days (more than 6 months).
On July 28, 2015, Google signed an agreement with officials from the ICTA - Sri Lanka, to launch technology on a mass scale. As a result, in March 2016, Sri Lanka will become the second country in the world to get full coverage of the internet using LTE, after Vatican City.
On October 29, 2015, Google agreed to partner with XL Axiata, Indosat and Telkomsel Indonesia to bring the technology to the country in hopes of connecting 17,000 islands.
On February 25, 2016, Google began testing their autolauncher called "Chicken Little" at the former Roosevelt Roads naval station located in Ceiba, Puerto Rico.
In May 2017 Spacedata initiated proceedings for patent infringement, due in court in 2019.
On October 6, 2017, Google filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and completed it on the same day, with authorization to begin immediately to provide emergency LTE coverage to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. The plan allows 30 balloons to deliver communications between ground terminals connected to a person's handset. Google must install the Over The Air (OTA) update to allow Band 8 operations and at the end of authorization, a separate OTA update will disable this operation. Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo RossellÃÆ'³ announced at a press conference on October 8, 2017 the launch of the Google Loon Project on the Caribbean island, after being approved by the FCC.
On October 9, 2017, several balloons were seen near Puerto Rico via Flightradar24. In the same month, it was reported that the project had spun into his own company Loon Inc , but clarified that the project still remains as a project on X. On November 9, 2017, it was reported that Google had launched several balloons from Nevada and place it on top of Puerto Rico as part of an effort to bring 100,000 people online.
Maps Project Loon
Technology
Project Loon is Google's chase for spreading high-altitude balloon networks operating in the stratosphere, at altitudes between 18 km and 25 km. Google insists that the stratosphere's special layer is advantageous because of its relatively low wind speed (for example, wind speeds between 5 and 20 mph/10 to 30 km/h) and minimal turbulence. In addition, Google claims to be able to model, with reasonable accuracy, seasonal, longitudinal, and latitudinal variations in wind speeds in the 18-25 km stratosphere.
Given the fairly accurate wind speed model in the 18-25 km band, Google claims to be able to control the latitude and longitude positions of high altitude balloons by simply adjusting the height of the balloon. By adjusting the volume and density of the gas (eg, helium, hydrogen, or other compounds lighter than air) inside the balloon, the balloon variable buoyancy system can control the height of the balloon. Google also added that balloons can be made from a variety of materials (eg, Mylar or BoPET measurable) or very flexible latex or rubber materials (eg, chloroprene).
Initially, the balloon was communicated using unlicensed ISM 2.4 and 5.8 GHz ribbons, and Google claimed that the arrangement allowed it to deliver "user-comparable speed" to the user, but they then switched to LTE with the cellular spectrum in collaboration with local telecommunications operator. It is not clear how technology that relies on short communications time (low latency ping), such as VoIP, may need to be modified to work in similar environments to mobile phones where signals may have to be forwarded through multiple balloons before reaching the wider Internet.
The first person connected to "Google Balloon Internet" after the initial test balloon launched into the stratosphere was a farmer in the town of Leeston, New Zealand, which is one of 50 people in the area around Christchurch who agreed to become a pilot tester for Project Loon. New Zealand farmers live in rural locations that can not get broadband access to the Internet, and have been using satellite Internet services in 2009, but found that he sometimes had to pay more than $ 1000 per month for the service. Locals know nothing about secret projects other than their ability to deliver Internet connectivity, but allow project workers to install basketball-sized recipients that resemble giant red-colored party balloons to the outer walls of their property to connect to the network.
The technology designed in this project can allow countries to avoid using expensive fiber cables that must be installed underground to allow users to connect to the Internet. Google feels it will greatly increase internet use in developing countries in regions such as Africa and Southeast Asia that are unable to install underground fiber cables.
Tools
The balloon envelope used in this project is made by Raven Aerostar, and is composed of polyethylene plastic with a thickness of about 0.076 mm (0.0030 inches). The balloon is a superpressure balloon filled with helium, standing 15 m (49 ft) and 12 m high (39 ft) when fully inflated. They carry a special air pump system dubbed "Croce" that pumps or releases air into the balloon ballast and controls its elevation. A 10 kg (22-pound) small box containing electronic equipment of each balloon hung underneath the inflated envelope. This box contains circuit boards that control systems, radio antennas, and 'Rocket M2' Ubiquiti Networks to communicate with other balloons and with Internet antennas on the ground, and batteries to store solar power so that balloons can operate at night. Each balloon electronics is supported by an array of solar panels that are between envelopes and hardware. In full sun, the panel generates 100 watts of power, which is enough to keep the unit running while charging the battery for use at night. The parachute attached to the top of the envelope allows for a controlled landing and landing when the balloon is ready to be picked up from the service. In case of unexpected failure, the parachute spreads automatically. When taken out of service, the balloon is guided to an easily accessible location, and helium is released into the atmosphere. Balloons typically have a maximum life span of about 100 days, though Google claims that its tweak design can allow them to stay higher for more than 200 days.
The prototype ground station uses Ubiquiti Networks 'Rocket M5' radio and a special patch antenna to connect to balloons at a height of 20 km (12 mi). Some reports mention Google's project as Google Balloon Internet.
Balloons equipped with auto dependent controls - broadcast and publicly trackable (along with other balloons) with a call mark "HBAL"
Incident
- On May 29, 2014, Loon's balloon crashed into a power grid in Washington, USA.
- On June 20, 2014, New Zealand officials briefly randomized emergency service personnel when the Loon balloon fell.
- In November 2014, a South African farmer discovered the Loon balloon crashed in the Karoo desert between Strydenburg and Britstown.
- On April 23, 2015, Loon's balloon crashed in a field near Bragg City, Missouri.
- On September 12, 2015, the Loon balloon crashed on the front page of a residence in Rancho Hills, Chino Hills, California.
- On February 17, 2016, the Loon balloon crashed in the Gampola area of ​​Sri Lanka while performing the tests.
- On April 7, 2016, Loon balloons landed on a farm in Dundee, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
- On April 22, 2016, the Loon balloon crashed in the field at the Department of ÃÆ'Ê »eembucÃÆ'º, Paraguay.
- On 22 August 2016, Loon balloons landed on a farm in Formosa, Argentina about 40 km. West Capital of Formosa.
- On August 26, 2016, Loon balloons landed in northwest Madison, South Dakota.
- On January 9, 2017, Loon Balloon crashed in Sieyic, near Changuinola, the province of Bocas del Toro, Panama.
- On January 8, 2017 and January 10, 2017, two Loon Balloons landed at 10 km E Cerro Chato & 40 km NNW from Mariscala, Uruguay.
- On February 17, 2017, Loon Balloon fell on Buriti dos Montes, Brazil.
- On March 14, 2017, Loon Balloon crashed in San Luis, Tolima, Colombia.
- On March 19, 2017, the Loon Balloon crashed in TacuarembÃÆ'³, Uruguay.
- On August 9, 2017, Loon Balloon crashed in a reedbed in Olmos, Lambayeque, Peru.
- On December 30, 2017, the Loon Balloon crashed in Nthambiro, Igembe Central, Meru County, Kenya.
Reception
Project Loon has generally been well received, though project developers and Square Kilometer Array astronomers have voiced concern that lower than two ISM bands using Loon (2.4 GHz) will interfere with the mid-band frequency range (0.5 GHz-3Ã, GHz) is used in the SKA project.
Google has not yet determined the cost of this project.
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key delivered a speech at a launch event in Christchurch stating that the Internet is important for New Zealand to help distribute globally what it produces in a low-cost way when 4 billion people come online; The key also recognizes the potential of utilizing Loon for disaster recovery.
See also
- List countries by number of Internet users
- Mobile broadband modem
- Google Fiber
- high altitude balloon
- The atmospheric satellite
- Alliance for Affordable Internet
- Internet.org
- Geostationary balloon satellite
- Outernet
- O3b Networks
- Google Free Zone
- Stratovision
References
External links
- Official website
- Project Loon channel on YouTube
- Wired: The Untold Story of Google Search to Bring Internet Anywhere - By Balloon
- The Sri Lankan ink handles Google Loon broadband floating 'telecommunication towers
- PointALoon: Open source tool for direct project signal tracking
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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