Techno Tuesday: Google Creates Balloon Powered Internet for All

{Each Tuesday we SnowBrains.com will be doing a Brain Post related to the technology field, enlightening you about emerging technologies or funny history about how technology came to be}

While it may not seem it, the majority of the Earth’s population still lives without internet, but Google is currently working to change that with Loon for All. A Balloon based project, Loon for All looks to bring internet to virtually everyone on Earth by creating a network of high altitude, weather balloon-esque, blimps with equipment on board to relay internet from local internet service providers.

How Loon for All Works

Many of us think of the Internet as a global community. But two-thirds of the world’s population does not yet have Internet access. Project Loon is a network of balloons traveling on the edge of space, designed to connect people in rural and remote areas, help fill coverage gaps, and bring people back online after disasters.

– Project Loon

Loon for All Details

• Balloon altitude: 25km above earths surface (2x higher than an airplanes cruising altitude)
• How Loon moves: Using jet stream wind which moves primarily east and west
• Source of Power: On board solar panels make the balloons self sustainable
• Size: 15 meters wide by 12 meters tall

Loon for All Launch Video

Sounds crazy to us, internet on a global scale carried by a network of high flying balloons, but if it has Google’s backing one can only assume it is at least feasible.  Internet for all, and all for the internet.  Kudos to you Google.