BALLOON

TECHNOLOGY
-

Presented By

A.Rohini
13701A1211
III - IT

Contents
ABSTRACT:...............................................................................................................................................1
1. INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................................................3
2.BACKGROUND:.....................................................................................................................................4
3. OBJECTIVES OF STUDY:.....................................................................................................................5
4.. METHODOLOGY:................................................................................................................................5
THE BRIEF INTRODUCTION OF THE PROJECT LOON..................................................................5
6.HOW LOONS DESIGNED?....................................................................................................................6
1.Envelope:..............................................................................................................................................6
2.Solar Pannels:.......................................................................................................................................7
3.Equipment:...........................................................................................................................................7
4.Reception(Antenna):.............................................................................................................................8
7. WORKING PROCESS OF PROJECT LOON :......................................................................................8
i.HOW LOON WORKS:.........................................................................................................................9
8.LOONS CONNECTIONS:.....................................................................................................................10
9.LOONS MOVEMENTS:........................................................................................................................10
10.COST:...................................................................................................................................................11
11.CURRENT PROGRESS.......................................................................................................................11
12. ADVANTAGES:..................................................................................................................................11
13.DISADVANTAGES:............................................................................................................................12
14.CONCLUSION:...................................................................................................................................13
15.REFERENCES:....................................................................................................................................13

ABSTRACT:
Balloon Technology is a research and
development project being developed
by Google 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 32 km (20 mi) to create an
aerial wireless network with up to 3G-like
speeds.[ It was named Project Loon, since
Google itself found the very idea of providing
internet access to the remaining 5 billion
population quite unprecedented and crazy.

nal Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration (NOAA). Users of the service
connect to the balloon network using a special
Internet antenna attached to their building. The
signal travels through the balloon network from
balloon to balloon, then to a ground-based
station connected to an Internet service
provider (ISP), then onto the global Internet. The
system aims to bring Internet access to remote
and rural areas poorly served by existing
provisions, and to improve communication

The balloons are maneuvered by adjusting their

during natural disasters to affected regions. Key

altitude to float to a wind layer after identifying

people involved in the project include Rich De

the wind layer with the desired speed and

vaul, chief technical architect, who is also an

direction using wind data from the National

expert on wearable technology; Mike Cassidy, a

oceanic and atmospheric.

project leader; and Cyrus Behroozi, a

networking and telecommunication lead.

1. INTRODUCTION

evolution of technology made more people to

If we reach the history of technology, we can

use internet from cables, fibers to portable

have a look at the evolution in it. In Internet

devices, from portable devices to wireless

Technology there are lots of advancements. It

networks. Though there is a vast development in

became so easy to do anything with Internet

technology still man is facing some issues

which playing a key role. But still three third of

wherever the natural disasters, other accidents

the worlds population is not connected to the

take place at a particular area which will

internet due to several problems which can be

completely disconnects the connectivity with

either it is a rural area or a mountain region.

rest of the world. So from these problems, one

Here, if we come to other side of the coin, the

thought came out from Google which might

4

solve all the above discussed problems of man.

edge of space, designed to provide ubiquitous

It is Project Loon which powers every region

Internet connectivity free of terrestrial constrains

on earth with internet service. By this, the world

and with an affordable rate worldwide.

still becomes smaller. No matter where the place

Now the time is 2015, and the Google Project

is, no matter how height the region is and no

Loon finally matured in technology. The novel

matter if any natural disaster occurs, but Project

system is ready to enter the market to provide

Loon is there to connect the entire world with its

Broadband Internet connectivity. However, this

valuable Loon service. It is one of the most

industry is highly competitive and prospers with

wonderful ideas taken up by the Google and it is

various Broadband technologies. You and your

going on till at present [1].

team are hired by Mr. Mike Cassidy, the Project

Today only 2.7 billion people a little more than

one third of the worlds populationhave
Internet access. This fact can be attributed to
many reasons, but the most important factor is
the scarcity of intensive capital necessary for
Internet infrastructure implementation in many
developing areas. The rapid development in
wireless

telecommunication

industry

has

boosted another revolution in data services.

Even though there are more than 1 billion
smartphone subscribers in the world, the
majority of them still dont have data access due
to the costly data plan in many countries. On the
other hand, the vast majority of the prices people
pay for data plans go directly towards covering
the tens of billions of dollars spent each year
building the infrastructure to deliver the
connections. Unless the infrastructure expansion
becomes more efficient, the industry cannot
sustainably serve everyone. Bring majority of
the global population into Internet community is
one of the greatest challenges of our generation,
and now we see hope from the Google Project
Loon a network of balloons traveling on the

Leader of Project Loon in Google[X] to develop

strategies for a successful launch of the Loon
based WiFi network. After intensive study, now
you are going to present a promising solution to
Mr. Cassidy. Before the day of the presentation,
you need to write a business letter (no more than
300 hundred words) to briefly summarize your
deliverables in a professional tone. To ensure a
successful presentation, you should address
following questions.
Whats the favored business model for launching
the Loon based Internet connection? Where does
the revenue come from? (Household Internet
subscriber,

contract

government

agencies,

with

industries

reseller

of

and

wireless

airtime, or simply advertisement, etc.)

To introduce the Loon based WiFi network into
market, whats the primary targeted market and
consumers in terms of demand and coverage?
Which geographical region will you choose for
the debut, and why? Given the atmospheric
science background and technological details,
how would you design a network pattern and
operation mode to provide reliable Internet
5

coverage for the region you chose, and also in a

2.BACKGROUND:

cost effective fashion. In addition, please

provide pricing strategy for your primary

Project loon is a research and development

launching plan.

project being enveloped by Google. It is a

Please analyze the core competence for the Loon

network of balloons travelling on the edge of

based Internet among the existing Internet

space, designed to provide ubiquitous Internet

services providers, and reasonably position the

connectivity.

technology in the market. According to your

stratosphere, twice as high as airplanes and the

analysis, estimate how many market share it

weather. They are carried around the Earth by

could capture, or can the Loons possibly exploit

winds and they can be steered by rising or

new market in terms of service and geographic

descending to an altitude with winds moving in

regions.

the desired direction. People connect to the

As the bellwether in IT industry, what leverages

balloon network using a special Internet antenna

can Google use to foster the Loon based

attached to their building. The signal bounces

Internet? (Such as patents, cash flow, integration

from balloon to balloon, then to the global

of Google services with Loon based Internet,

Internet back on Earth.

The

balloons

float

in

the

etc.)
As an outlook, in order to further penetrate the

3. OBJECTIVES OF STUDY:

market by Loon base Internet, how should the

The main objectives of study in this paper are

Google improve on its product? Please provide

stepwise long-term strategy for the Loon to set a

i.

Project loon.

development plan in terms of both marketing

and technology.

To explore the brief introduction of the

ii.

To survey the Project Loon.

iii.

To investigate the Future of Project

Loon which help the whole world as
conclusion.

4.. METHODOLOGY:
The present paper has referred the secondary
Figure : Google Project Loon

data available on the internet and referred some

journals to get the brief information on the
valuable invention by Google known as Project
5. EXPLORATION OF THE OBJECTIVES:
6

THE BRIEF INTRODUCTION OF THE

PROJECT LOON

topological flux, continuously moving from cell

center to cell edge. Here the Loon engineers

Project Loon is network of the balloons

have created a reflecting plate in its equipment

travelling on the border of space, intended to

which will capture the signals even the

connect people in rural and remote areas. In the

transmitter path is at an extreme obtuse angle

case of satellite systems, the satellite is rotating

[3].

over the earth from a fixed point, but in the case

of the Project Loon, the loons are floating in the
stratosphere following its east-west winds across
the globe. While Google is able to control it to a
limited extent of their speed, spacing and
direction of travel by moving the balloons up
and down into different air currents. The loons
largely go to the wind flowing direction. You
can think the loon as a mobile network in
reverse. Instead of having a fixed grid of towers
among which millions of subscribers are

Figure : Snapshot of Project Loon

moving. Loon will be having a fixed grid of

subscribers while the towers move from place to
place overhead [8].
Consequently, Project Loon has to deal
with many of the same problems faced by the

6.HOW LOONS DESIGNED?

The loon is comprised of three parts: an
envelope, solar panels and equipment.

mobile operators in getting the Loon to work.

One of those problems is flexibility. In mobile
network the speed, capacity, and network
performance tend to suffer as you and your
Smartphone move further away from the
network. In the case of Loon, homes and
business will stay put on the network but loon
transmitters will appear and disappear over the
horizon, handing off their signals to the next
approaching balloon. That means your loon
connection will be in constant

state

of
7

1.Envelope:

the bladder system. This system can help to

choose suitable wind currents in stratosphere. It
also releases some air inside out of the envelope
to relieve pressure. When being out of the
service, it releases gas from the envelope and
descends slowly to the ground. It rarely happens,
but when the balloon drops quickly, it uses the

The balloon envelope is the name for the

parachute on the top of the envelope.

inflatable part of the balloon. Project Loons

balloon envelopes are made from sheets of
polyethylene plastic and stand fifteen meters

2.Solar Pannels:

wide by twelve meters tall when fully inflated.

The balloon powers itself by two renewable
energies, sunlight and wind.

Each units electronics are powered by an array

of solar panels that sits between the envelope
and the hardware. In full sun, these panels
produce 100 Watts of power - enough to keep
Its envelope is made from sheets of Mylar which
is a brand for a thin strong polyester film about

the unit running while also charging a battery for

use at night.

0.076 mm thick. Such super pressure balloons

require Mylar since it strongly keeps from
stretching and popping at even high altitude. It is
built to resist higher pressures than a normal
weather balloon which reaches usually at an
altitude of 40 km (25 mi). Inside envelope, there
is another chamber, called bladder. To have the
balloon descended, a fan powered by the solar
energy fills the bladder with air to make it
heavier. Likewise, the fan vents air in the

By moving with the wind and charging in the

bladder, which causes it to rise. The balloon can

sun, Project Loon is able to power itself using

move up or down a 1.7 km (1 mi) range through

only renewable energy sources.

8

3.Equipment:

4.Reception(Antenna):

A small box containing the balloons electronic

equipment

hangs

underneath

the

inflated

envelope, like the basket that is carried by a hot

air balloon.
It can provide wireless Internet connectivity to
ground areas at up to 10Mbps (3G speed). There
are two kinds of communications: balloon-toballoon network and balloon-to-ground station
This box contains circuit boards that control the

or subscribers network. It has specialized radio

system, radio antennas to communicate with

antennas to support two networks. It currently

other balloons and with Internet antennas on the

uses ISM bands specifically 2.4 and 5.8 GHz

ground, and batteries to store solar power so the

bands because they are typically unlicensed

balloons can operate during the night.

radio frequencies around the world, which

means Google is able to avoid negotiating with
local governments to purchase specific radio
frequencies. Additionally, these also avoids
interferences

and

reaches

much

further

distances. Because it does not support Wi-Fi,

smart phones such as iPhone are not able to
establish connections directly to balloons. it
requires users to install a specialized antenna the
outside of their home to receive the signal from
a balloon near their home and to decrypt the
signal. This way is very similar to the usage of
satellites.

signal strength regardless of whether balloon is

directly over your home or on the horizon [2].
7. WORKING PROCESS OF PROJECT
LOON :
Project Loon is of network of balloons travelling
on the edge of space, designed to connect people
in rural and remote areas, help fill coverage
gaps, and bring people back online after disaster.
Most communications satellites are following
the earths rotation over the same fixed point on

Figure 3: Working Process of Project

Loon
i.HOW LOON WORKS:

the planet surface. But in the case of Loon, the

Project Loon balloons travel around 20 km

balloons

stratosphere

above the earths surface in the stratosphere and

following its east-west winds across the globe.

generally steady and slow-moving at between 5

While Google will be able to control to a limited

and 20 mph, and each layer of wind varies in

extent their spacing, speed and direction of

direction and magnitude. Project Loon uses

travel by moving the balloons up and down into

software algorithms to determine where its

different air currents, the balloons will largely go

balloon needs to go then moves each one into a

where the winds take them. You can think of

layer of wind blowing in the right direction. By

Loon

reverse.

moving with the wind, the balloons can be

Consequently, Project Loon has to deal with

arranged to form one large communications

many of the same problems faced by mobile

network. These massive structures are 15-

operators in getting Loon to work. One of those

meters wide and made a from polyethylene film

problems is resilience. In the mobile network,

that's

speed, capacity and network performance tend to

supermarket carrier bag, but still thick enough

suffer as you and your smart phone move further

to withstand high altitude air pressures without

away from the tower. In the case of Loon, homes

exploding. However, the responsibility of the

and

Loon

balloon, and its helium gas filling, is to get the

transmitters will appear and disappear over the

real tech wizardry in the air and keep it there.

horizon, handing off their signals to the next

Each unit carries a mini Linux-based computer,

approaching balloon. That means your Loon

toting the all-important Wi-Fi radios, GPS and

connection will be in constant

of

several sensors recording air temperature,

topological flux, continuously moving from cell

altitude and speed of movement. All of this

centre to cell edge. The design results in uniform

information is sent to Google's Command

as

are

floating

mobile

businesses

will

in

the

network

stay

in

put

but

state

only

three

times

thicker

than

Centre on the ground below where the each

10

balloon can be controlled to a certain degree.

homes, much like a very small satellite TV

Once it has reached the altitude of 20km

receiver. There is also a back-up transceiver

(65,000ft), it's will end its ascent. Then, as

and a GPS on each balloon, so Google can

Google explains: "Signals are transmitted from

monitor a balloon's location. And each balloon

the balloons to a specialized Internet antenna

will carry weather instruments, too. A solar

mounted to the side of a home or workplace

collector powers the balloons systems during

that use radio frequency technology. The

the day, and also charges a battery for night-

Internet antenna is connected to a consumer

time use. The balloons maintain their positions

grade router. Web traffic that travels through

by reading the predictable air currents that

the balloon network is ultimately relayed to

occur at their high altitude and slightly

ground stations, where it's connected to pre-

adjusting their heights to stay in roughly the

existing Internet infrastructure, like fiber cables

same area [9].

and our local telecommunications partners. At

stratospheric altitudes which are twice as high

8.LOONS CONNECTIONS:

as commercial aircraft fly, so there'll be no

unfortunate accidents. There wind currents tend

Far below the loons, ground stations providing

to move in very specific directions. Google's

connectivity to backbone Internet can transmit

Loon uses a custom-built, solar powered pump

signals to the balloons up to 65 miles far. The

to carefully inflate or deflate the balloon

signals would hop forward, from one balloon to

remotely from the ground. The idea is that each

the next, along a chain of up to 5 balloons. Each

balloon rises and falls to the required height in

balloon is networked to one another within 30

order to move in the required direction at the

miles with a radio transceiver as in a

required speed. From there, they're like

designed to ensure signal reliability. A second

sailboats, which are designed and eventually be

transceiver

able to stay in the air for 100 days at a time.

hundreds of antennas on ground area about 25

When they reach the end of their shift, they can

miles in diameter at speeds comparable to 3G.

be directed to a designated rescue centers

The specialized antennas can be placed on

around the world and replaced. Each balloon is

homes, much like a very small satellite TV

networked to one another with a radio

receiver. Project Loon currently uses ISM bands

transceiver as in a mesh, designed to ensure

(specifically 2.4 and 5.8 GHz bands) that are

signal reliability. A second transceiver keeps

available for anyone to use. There is also a back-

the balloon in contact with a network station on

up transceiver and a GPS on each balloon, so

the ground and beams an Internet signal to

Google can monitor each balloon's location.

keeps

the

balloon

in

mesh,
contact

specialized antennas that can be placed on

11

10.COST: (estimated according to current

market prices)
A. Balloon

Polyethylene

plastic

manufactured

by

envelops

Raven

Aerostar:

$4,000

9.LOONS MOVEMENTS:

Helium gas per loon per flight: $2,000

100W

Project Loon balloons travel around 65,000 feet

solar panels (5ft 5ft): $500

above the Earths surface in the stratosphere.

Navigation control system: $1000

Equipment box (circuit boards, radio

Winds in the stratosphere are generally steady

and slow-moving at between 5 and 20 mph, and

antennae, GPS, weather instruments and

each layer of wind varies in direction and

magnitude. Due to the wind properties, balloons
can travel along latitude line with a 5 o latitude
range. Project Loon uses software algorithms to
determine where its balloons need to go, then
moves each one into a layer of wind blowing in
the right direction. By moving with the wind, the
balloons can be arranged to form one large

batteries): $12,000

Re-launch fee for a used balloon: $3,000

B. Ground

station

connected

to

backbone Internet

Station construction and equipment

installation: $1.2 million

Maintenance:

equipment

cost

is

communications network. The Loon team can

$30,000/year and land cost depends on

access the web-based control system from any

local market.

computer or tablet.

C. Need dedicated personnel to conduct

regular

maintenance

and

troubleshooting.
D. Labor cost varies at different location.
E. Balloon launching and collecting point

All the installation, maintenance costs

depend on local land cost and human
resource cost.

Due to properties of wind in the

stratosphere,

balloon

moves

along

latitude line with a 5o latitude range,

so

please

be

aware

of

coverage
12

limitation of balloons from one balloon

of people without any form of payment in

station.

return. So, how will Google make any profit

F. Antenna for users

from this project? Considering that Google is an

advertisement company, increasing the volume

Antenna: $500

of internet users would invariably increase

11.CURRENT PROGRESS
The Project Loon pilot test began in June 2013
on the 40th parallel south*. Thirty balloons,
launched from New Zealands South Island,
beamed Internet to a small group of pilot testers.
The experience of these pilot testers is now
being used to refine the technology and shape
the next phase of Project Loon.

traffic on the worlds leading search engine,

Google Search. This accrual in search users
implies that more ads will be displayed, swelling
Googles pockets even deeper. Also, considering
that todays internet marketing model requires
purchasers to manually install a router in their
houses, Loon will already have a distinct
dominance. Adopting Loon as your internet
connection would require no external hardware,
decreasing barriers that users would have to deal
with when deciding whether or not to get an
internet connection. Googles competitors that
also provide similar services like Time Warner
Cable will automatically have a reduced market
share. Also Space Systems would also be at a
disadvantage since their satellites cost more to
maintain by multiple levels of magnitude than

Pilot test project in New Zealand.

the Loon balloon Project Loon is clearly an asset

to Google. However, it is also a convenience to
the rest of the world. One of the most obvious
avails of the project is the Availability of
Information. Assuming all the mechanisms of
the project are functioning as planned, every
single person who has access to some device
that has wifi access would be able to search for

12. ADVANTAGES:

almost any form of media online. Farmers in

Initially, when the project was announced, it

remote corners of third world countries would

appeared as if Google is spending mi`llions of

be able to research and analyze multiple

dollars on a project providing internet to billions

techniques that could increase their yield, a

13

father would be able to stay in touch with his

daughter no matter which township either one of
them lived in, villagers across an country would

14.CONCLUSION:

be able to transparently examine the countries

political

scenario

and

vote

appropriately.

The system is still just experimental by Google,

Internet antennae on the ground, and batteries to

but everyone believes it will eventually bring

store solar power so the balloons can operate

Internet access to many parts of the world where

during the night. Each balloons electronics are

people have little or no connectivity. They are

powered by an array of solar panels that sit

lower cost and less roundtrip time than a

between the envelope and the hardware.

satellite, and, given enough of these in the air at

any given moment in any given location, higher

13.DISADVANTAGES:

capacity via the multiplicative effect associated

The main problem with launching any hardware

with wireless meshes.

project is the certainty of eventual hardware

Though some issues are rising against project.

failure. In most cases, the hardware is usually

The project is now working out how to make the

accessible and can be fixed. However, for

balloons stay in the area where they're wanted.

airplanes, rockets, satellites, and now Loon

Not surprisingly, it's solving this with some

balloons, hardware failure is a huge problem as

complex algorithms and lots of computing

they cannot be reached. If a Loon balloon fails,

power. Project Loon is now looking

it can either remain up in the air floating,

expand the pilot in countries at the same

making it difficult to bring down or it might go

latitude as New Zealand. Might be Google

down in unwanted areas. Both of these scenarios

can come with

are a huge concern to the stability as well as the

project went succeeded the world is going

safety of people whose lives might be affected

to experience new things.

reliable cost. If this

by unwanted balloon landings. Another concern

over this project is internet privacy since it gives
Google more power over a wider range of
consumer

behavior.

This

information

can

become a security issue if it is shared with

Government agencies like the NSA.

15.REFERENCES:
[1]. IJCAE, Special Issue, December 2013, 203205.
[2].

Marc

Petron

marc@engadget.com,

engadget.com
[3]. John Dix
Editor in Chief

14

jdix@nww.com, networkworld.com
[4]. Paul McNamara
Online News Editor
pmcnamara@nww.com
[5]. En.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Loon
[6]. http://www.google.com/loon/
[7]. www.googleimages.com/projectloon/
[8]. Wisconsin Project loon watch Report,
University of Minnesota.

15