Case Study: Google Balloon

GOOGLE PROJECT LOON

Brijesh Prajapati(Author)

MCA

Mumbai University

Mumbai, India. [e-mail] Sandip Mishra(Author)

MCA

Mumbai University

Mumbai, India. [e-mail] Abstract: There are many areas where providing internet services is not possible and there can be one of many reason for this issue. On the other hand, in some places people have internet connection but that is not continuous which is a big problem again. Google is trying to resolve these problems with their new LOON Project. In this study, we tried to understand definition, working and benefits from LOON Project.

Keywords: Internet, Google, LOON Project, Google Balloon,

I. INTRODUCTION

In reality only one third of the world’s population has access to internet;

The base station i.e the ground stations are spaced about 100 km (62 mi) apart and then it bounce the signal to other relay balloons that send the signal back down. This makes Internet access available to anyone in the world who has a receiver and is within range of a balloon. If we look at the current scenario of communication then balloons communicate using unlicensed 2.4 and 5.8 GHz ISM bands, and according to

Google they claim that user will get up to 3g like speed over this network. Till this date it is unclear that how this technology rely on short communications times, such as

VoIP, so for that they might need to be modified to work in an environment which is a like mobile phones where the signal may have to relay through multiple balloons before reaching the wider Internet.

VI. APPARATUS

To make Balloons for Project Loon they have used

Raven Aerostar. Raven Aerostar is made up of polyethylene plastic which is 0.076 mm in thickness.

When balloons are fully blown it is 49 feet long horizontally and 39 feet vertically. These balloons are implemented with air pump system which controls the movement of balloons. Other than this, every balloon contains a 10 kg box. This box has circuit boards

7.3 EQUIPMENT

Each of the balloons is equipped with a small box that has electronic equipment to control balloons movement and elevation. The circuit implemented in this box controls the position of the balloon in the network. There is also radio antennas which will help each balloons to communicate with other balloons. There is internet antenna on earth which will connect each balloon together to form a large communication network. Solar energy is stored in the battery of each balloon which is used in night to operate.

VIII. LOON CONNECTIVITY

Every balloon in the network is designed in the way that it can cover 20 kilometers area in radius on ground. It connects with the speed of 3G connectivity. Each balloon is having antennas which use specialized radio frequency technology. This provides connectivity between balloons and connects them with ground as well. Loon Project have

ISM bands. ISM band falls under 2.4 and 5.8 GHz bands.

Ground station is responsible for providing connectivity to loon network and works as backbone to the network. It can broadcast signals to the balloons which is in the area of 65 miles from ground station. This signal can be forwarded to neighbouring balloons and it can continue upto 5