One of his balloons Project Loon of Google managed to travel more than 500.000 kilometers and make a full turn around the Earth within 22 days.
Project Loon was announced about a year ago and aims to develop wireless networks accesss on the Internet in isolated areas, using balloons that will carry the relevant equipment.
The balloons of the prolettertos create a grid at a height of twenty kilometers above it surface of the Earth, each one being able to "communicate" both with its neighbors and with terrestrial control stations, which in turn will be connected to the Internet. The transmission of the signal will be done through antennas that will be installed in buildings.
The balloon called Ibis-167 that took place around the world in 22 days is a new design that includes a series of corrections, compared to the original models.
More specifically, while the first balloons had a solar panel at the top, the newer ones have two solar panels positioned opposite each other and diagonally so as to be more efficient when the flight is over the poles.
Despite the installation of double solar panels, the weight of the new balloons has decreased as a more efficient generator has been installed, meaning that the double panels can now be of smaller volume.
The Ibis-167 flew at speeds ranging from 2 to 75 nodes, transporting a transponder and radar reflector apart from the solar panels to be seen by other aircraft.
Also, via the built-in remote control, the balloon could at any time land for maintenance or repairs.
Initial Project Loon trials have brought significant changes to the program, in addition to changing the solar panels.
For example the first flights gave valuable results data on the behavior of winds to create new weather forecasting models.
Also, improved balloon models can change flight height up to three times faster, have better navigation and are more resistant to extreme weather conditions.
Source: naftemporiki.gr
