Project Loon is definitely ambitious, and some might even argue that Google will fail in this endeavor. However, things seem to be going in the right direction right now, as the company still hopes to be able to launch its first continuous ring around the world this year. The goal of Project Loon is to provide high-speed internet to less-fortunate nations such as Sri Lanka, and it definitely makes sense for Google try to and expand the reach of the internet across the world, as this would only increase its traffic and revenue in the long run. The engineers working on the project have implemented a system that can keep balloons in the air for up to 100 days, but in order to get them up in the first place, they need a series of advanced portable autolaunchers.
One such autolauncher was showcased no too long ago in Puerto Rico, where it managed to launch a Project Loon balloon in no more than 30 minutes. According to the team’s representatives, these crane-like devices will allow them to move their entire operations to areas with favorable wind patterns, and they will also keep the balloons out of stiff breezes until launch time in order to improve overall control. Since these balloons can now link with each other while in the air, the team needs eight ground stations as well as a balloon network in order to provide internet service to a certain region. Some parts of Asia, West Africa and Latin America are expected to benefit from this system later this year.
