Project Loon

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Context 

Recently, Loon’s internet-beaming balloon has set a new flight duration record. It made the longest balloon flight in the Stratosphere for 312 days. Loon previously held the record in 2018-2019 for the longest balloon flight in the Stratosphere, which was for 223 days.

About Project Loons

• Project Loon aims to tap the Earth’s stratosphere to provide internet connectivity to the remote parts of the world. 

• The project involves helium-filled balloons that remain in the stratosphere and create aerial wireless networks. 

• The project has collaborated with several countries and their technology partners to provide internet connectivity.

• Currently the internet connectivity system consists of 2 basic methods to deliver a connection namely Signal from Space and Signal from Ground. 

• Lately, the Project Loon balloons are also used as weather monitors.

About Loons 

• Loons are high altitude balloons that provide internet connectivity to remote areas. 

• It is the 3rd layer of connectivity ecosystem to help places with minimum reach, receive connectivity with the rest of the world. 

• These balloons that reach the stratosphere and provide internet connections to regions that were once thought un-servable. 

• These are manufactured by Alphabet (the parent company of Google.

• The balloons are 15 metres wide and 12 metres tall and it can reach up to 20 km above the Earth into the stratosphere. 

• The path of the balloons is controlled by changing its altitude. They use the wind speed and direction to move up or down.

• They are made from sheets of polyethene. When inflated, these balloons are of size of a mini aircraft. 

• The balloons are powered by solar panels and are controlled by software on the ground. 

• It delivers 4G LTE and 5G connectivity to the assigned areas and it is capable of covering 200 times more areas than land cell towers.