[ETS/PARC List] It Might Be A Good Idea to Invest in Aerial Balloons

[drew Moore]

So, when the balloons land on China soil they can cross engineer Google's
technology (outside of the balloon)  and eventually float their revised
versions complete with cameras over conus. Super, it also adds a new
dimension to cyber-snooping. Since Europe was so fond of Google taking
street photos I'm sure they'll greet the new /old technology with open arms.

73,
Drew

-----Original Message-----
From: etslist-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:etslist-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Victor Pennetta
Sent: Thursday, June 27, 2013 2:58 PM
To: etslist
Subject: [ETS/PARC List] It Might Be A Good Idea to Invest in Aerial
Balloons



I got a kick out of this: Just a few days ago Google started experimenting
with a new aerial wireless network that will be able to provide Internet
connections in areas that have no Ethernet infrastructure.  There are places
in Africa and South America, for example, where the governments don't have
the money for a fiber optic build out and private investors see no way to
turn a profit at it.  So Google is investigating an alternative: beaming
Internet down from above.

And here's the fun part.  Google isn't launching new satellites or building
advanced aircraft.  They're going to position their transmitters with a
lifting technology that's centuries old: balloons.  The balloons will carry
the transmitters up into the stratosphere, and then they'll just coast along
on the prevailing winds.  Signals will be relayed from balloon to balloon
until they can find a connection to Ethernet infrastructure and the wider
Internet.  Google is planning a roving, global, mesh network.

There will be problems with the balloon network, of course.  My math says
that it would take 250,000 of the things just to cover North America.  And
they can only stay airborne for two or three months, so balloon manufacture
and maintenance would automatically have to become a major industry. Radio
bands are allocated differently from one country to the next - so how is
Google ever going to get the whole world to reserve the same slice of RF
Spectrum for aerial Internet?  And what about the over flights?  I sure
wouldn't want to invest in anything that was going to have to violate North
Korean airspace.  And even if I did, I'm inclined to think that Lloyd's of
London would be reluctant to insure it.  Google is well aware of all of
these considerations, so they've named their scheme Project Loon.

Maybe Google will eventually figure out how to get the whole world to go
along with their plan.  But even if they don't, this idea has great
potential for providing service to disaster areas and ultra-remote sites.

Whatever happens, it's a creative mix of old technology with the new.
Google's balloons may use helium rather than hot air, but Archimedes could
have explained the basic principles 2200 years ago.  By 1783 the French were
already flying around in balloons - back when some guy named Napoleon was
still finishing school and even the French had never heard of him.  Now
we're using balloons to create wireless mesh networks.

73,

Victor, K2NBC



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