The Reasons Behind The Failure of Google’s Project Loon

 In the year 2011, Loon LLC the company, a subsidiary of Alphabet (which also includes the subsidiary of Google), took an initiative that consists of a network of balloons. These balloons travel on the edge of space and are aimed to connect people in remote and rural areas. The main objective of this project Loon is to minimize the coverage gaps and to provide continuous connectivity among the people even after disasters.


Picture: Project Loon;                                                                                        Source: Google




Hence, in January 2021, it was announced that the company would be shut down. So, What Went Wrong?



 Picture: Project Loon;                                                     Source: Google
First, some basic information for those new to Project Loon, which is an overhead wireless network. Google is in the early stages of its stated intention to provide free internet access in remote areas, wireless dead zones, and possibly those affected by natural disasters through the use of balloons in the stratosphere. Winds at these altitudes are less strong and can be predicted by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration climatologists for up to 16 days.                                                                      



The limitations of Project Loon (of which Google was well aware) include:


1. Balloons were not geostationary but rather were moved by the wind currents

that Google intended to navigate using different gases (helium, hydrogen, etc.)

to effect variations in density and, consequently, in altitude. However,

maintaining a continuously moving network of up to 400 balloons around

the world was a daunting task that required complex programming.


2. The balloons shatter and should only stay aloft for 100 days (maybe 200 days

for the rare and lucky balloon). Balloons must therefore be constantly

replenished.


3. So far four balloons have crashed, one on power lines.



Therefore, the balloon-based wireless provider ultimately couldn’t close the digital gap.




MUINUDDIN BASHAR ARONNO was born in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Currently, he is pursuing his B.Eng. degree in Electronics and Information Engineering from Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, China. He loves working at the intersection of technology, business, and education.







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