Project Loon Balloons Have Traveled 3 Million Kilometers

One of the most interesting projects that Google is working on is Project Loon. This project aims to put massive helium filled balloons into the stratosphere laden with gear that can send internet signals to the ground giving people speedy internet access in areas that currently have no access. Google has announced quite a milestone for its Project Loon.

Since the balloons first took to the air last year, the balloons have racked up a travel distance of 3 million kilometers. To put that in perspective, that is enough traveling to have gone completely around the world 75 times. That is also enough traveling distance to have gone to the moon and back almost four times.

Along the way, Google has learned a lot of important details, including what sort of socks the people need to wear when walking on the balloons during construction. As it turns out fluffy socks work the best to reduce friction. The right socks and hoards of other discoveries have added up to help the balloons stay in the air longer with less leaks and other issues.

Project Loon balloons can now stay in the air ten times longer than they did in 2013. The average balloon can now stay in the air for 100 days and the record is 130 days. Google has also developed autofill equipment that can fill a Project Loon balloon in only five minutes to make it easier to get a balloon into the air.

SOURCE: Google Plus