Project Loon, Wing graduate from X to become latest Alphabet companies

Two of X’s aerial projects are graduating from the Moonshot Factory today to become independent Alphabet companies like Waymo and Verily. Dropping the “project” status, Loon will continue to deliver internet via balloons, while Wing is focusing on a variety of drone-related efforts.

Loon

Loon’s mission from 2011 is to deliver internet to areas with no or low connectivity via balloons that ascend into the stratosphere. These tennis court-sized balloons are made from sheets of polyethylene and can fly for over 100 days before a controlled descent. Autolaunchers that feature cranes inflate balloons and release them, with a launch every 30 minutes.

Attached to the tear drop-shaped balloon is essentially a cell tower that can beam down LTE connectivity. A solar panel array provides renewable energy to power all the components. Multiple balloons work in conjunction to blanket an area with service.

• Transceivers transmit connectivity from ground stations, across balloons, and back down to users’ LTE phones.
• Solar panels power the equipment during the day and charge an onboard battery to allow for nighttime operation.
• Parachute automatically deploys at the end of the balloon flight for a safe descent back to Earth.
• Flight capsule contains the brains of the system for command and control of the Loon balloon.