Project Loon .pptx

Project loon

1. PROJECT LOON SEMINAR 2024 PRESENTED BY MOHAMMED NOUFAL K

2. TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION HISTORY DESIGN HOW LOON MOVES DIFFERENT TYPES OF APPROACHES USED FOR CONNECTIVITY WORKING OF LOON DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROTOCOLS USED ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES CONCLUSION REFERENCES

3. ABSTRACT This presentation deals with the topic Project Loon. Many of us think that the internet is available to everyone and everywhere. But two third of the world population has only the access to internet. Internet is the most transformative technologies of our lifetime. So, Google announced its Balloon Powered Internet Access. This project mainly focuses on the last few people, they haven’t accessed the internet yet.

4. INTRODUCTION Project Loon is a pilot project developed by Google LLC. It is aimed at providing the internet by using balloons that would trace the earth. Project Loon was developed with the aim of providing economic internet access across the world. It comprises a network of balloons that would float above in the stratosphere higher than the airplanes and the weather.

5. INTRODUCTION The Balloons are carried across the globe with the wind that is used to direct the direction of the balloons. People using this technology would be able to set up a connection with the balloons using their devices. Google’s Project Loon aimed to provide internet speeds comparable to those of 4G LTE networks. Users typically experienced the Download Speeds between 5 Mbps and 15 Mbps and Upload Speeds between 1 Mbps and 5 Mbps.

6. JOURNEY OF PROJECT LOON 2011: Conceptualization The idea for Project Loon originated in Google's X lab, a research and development facility dedicated to "moonshot" projects. June 2013: Public Announcement Project Loon was officially announced and launched as a pilot program in New Zealand. Thirty balloons were launched to test the concept and technology. 2014- 2015: Initial Tests and Improvements Early tests focused on improving the technology, extending flight durations, and refining navigation systems. Successful tests were conducted in various countries, including Brazil and the United States. 2016: Scaling Up Project Loon entered a new phase with larger tests in countries like Sri Lanka and Indonesia.

7. JOURNEY OF PROJECT LOON 2017: Emergency Response Project Loon played a critical role in disaster response. After Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, Loon provided emergency internet service to the island, helping connect thousands of people. 2018: Commercial Launch It launched its first commercial service in Kenya in partnership with Telkom Kenya, providing internet to rural and remote areas. 2020: Enhanced Connectivity Loon expanded its coverage in Kenya, offering wider and more reliable internet access. January 2021: Project Shutdown Alphabet announced the shutdown of Project Loon, citing the challenge of developing a sustainable business model and the high costs associated with the project.

8. DESIGN OF PROJECT LOON Envelope The inflatable part of the balloon is called envelope. Each super- pressure balloon is made of polyethylene plastic material and filled with helium. When fully inflated, the balloon height is 12 m and its width is 15 m. The envelope is designed to resistant exposure to UV rays and it can last 100 days in the stratosphere. A parachute is attached to the top of the envelope, which is used for bringing down the balloon safely. Inflated Balloon

9. DESIGN OF PROJECT LOON Solar panels Each balloon’s solar panel provides power to its own electronics. The panels produce approximately 100 Watts of power in full sun. Electronics/Payload A small electronics box (payload) hangs underneath the inflated envelope. This box contains circuit boards, Linux- based computer, radio antenna, GPS, sensors, and batteries. Here the circuit boards to control the system, radio antenna for communication, GPS for tracking location, sensors to monitor and record weather conditions, and lithium ion batteries to store solar power. Envelope Solar Panel Electronics / Payload

10. HOW LOON MOVES Project Loon balloons positioned in the stratosphere winds at an altitude of about 20 km, twice as high as airplane flights and the weather changes. In the stratosphere, there are many layers of wind, and each layer of wind varies in direction and speed . Project Loon has complex algorithms to determine where its balloons need to go, then moves each one into a layer of wind blowing in the right direction. Later the balloons will form a mesh network. So, each balloon could communicate with neighboring balloons, ground stations, and user devices. How Loon Moves

11. DIFFERENT TYPES OF APPROACHES USED FOR CONNECTIVITY This approach involved installing a specialized antenna at the user’s home or a community location. The antenna received the internet signal from the balloon and then relayed it to the user’s devices via a wired or Wi- Fi connection within the home or community. It provided a more stable and consistent connection as the antenna was fixed and optimally positioned. The main challenge of this approach was to installing of the antenna. Ground Antenna Project Loon utilized two primary approaches to deliver internet connectivity 1. Fixed Antenna Approach

12. DIFFERENT TYPES OF APPROACHES USED FOR CONNECTIVITY Direct Access Approach (Mobile Connectivity) This approach allowed users to connect directly to the internet using their standard LTE- enabled mobile devices, similar to connecting to a cell tower. The Loon balloons acted as floating cell towers, providing LTE coverage over large areas. Connectivity using Loons Connectivity using cell towers

13. DIFFERENT TYPES OF APPROACHES USED FOR CONNECTIVITY Direct Access Approach (Mobile Connectivity) Users’ mobile devices communicated directly with the balloons, which then relayed the signal to ground stations connected to the internet. Users could access the internet directly on their mobile devices without needing additional equipment It Allows the users to move around within the balloon’s coverage area while maintaining connectivity. The main drawback of this approach is that the quality of the connection could vary depending on the distance from the balloon and environmental conditions.

14. WORKING OF PROJECT LOON After launching the balloons,the balloons will form a mesh topology with other balloons, ground Station and user Data from a user’s device was sent to the nearest balloon via LTE.

15. WORKING OF PROJECT LOON Then, data transmitted through the balloons to reach the ground Station. The inter- balloon communication was performed using radio frequency links, though laser-based optical communication was also being attempted. The nearest balloon to the ground Station sends the data to the ground Station. Ground Station has the access to the global internet. Thereby the user’s data can access the internet. Data from the internet followed the reverse path, traveling from the ground station to the user’s device through the balloon network.

16. DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROTOCOLS USED Google’s Project Loon primarily used the LTE (Long- Term Evolution) protocol for its communication. Here's a detailed breakdown of the protocols involved. LTE (Long-Term Evolution) LTE was used for the connection between the balloons and user devices. This allowed standard LTE- compatible devices such as smartphones and tablets to connect to the internet via the Loon balloons. IP (Internet Protocol) The Internet Protocol was used for routing data across the network, ensuring that data packets were correctly addressed and delivered to their intended destinations. Wi- Fi Protocols In some configurations, especially for backhaul links between balloons and ground stations or among balloons, Wi- Fi protocols might have been used to handle high- bandwidth data transfers.

17. DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROTOCOLS USED Custom High-Frequency Radio Protocols For inter- balloon communication, custom high- frequency radio protocols were developed. These protocols facilitated data transmission over long distances between balloons, forming a mesh network in the stratosphere. Routing Protocols Various routing protocols were likely used to manage data flow within the mesh network of balloons, ensuring efficient and reliable data transfer. Proprietary Protocols Google also used proprietary protocols and technologies to optimize performance, manage balloon- to- balloon communication, and ensure robust connectivity.

18. ADVANTAGES One balloon approximately covers 40 km and it would need thousands of balloons to connect the entire globe. This technology would cut the cost and labor of expensive fiber cables that need to be dug deep in the ground. It can be used to provide internet connectivity even during natural calamity. It is useful to connect remote areas where traditional internet is difficult to achieve due to topographic reasons. By floating in the stratosphere, the balloons could provide wide- area coverage, potentially reaching people across different continents and connecting the unconnected on a global scale.

19. DISADVANTAGES The project Loon has certain limitations as it needs the balloons to be refilled every few weeks with helium. Installation charges of the Loon Balloon are very high. The entire setup is very costly ranging around $1.2 million for setup and $30,000/ year for maintenance. The loon balloons would levitate around the globe needing maintenance stations across the world even in remote areas which would be very difficult to achieve. The Loon is a recent technology that is high end needing skilled workers that are difficult to find. The cost to the company would be high after hiring skilled workers and other human resource teams for the workers.

20. CONCLUSION In conclusion, Project Loon is an innovative effort by Google to provide internet access to remote areas using high- altitude balloons. This project has the potential to bridge the digital divide, promoting global connectivity and socio- economic development in underserved regions. It eliminates the need to lay down the cable infra- structure in many areas such as hilly areas, rural and remote areas. It would also provide backbone communications during and after natural disasters when ground infrastructure is scarce or destroyed .

21. REFERENCES https://x.company/projects/loon/ https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loon_LLC https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/what- is- project- loon/ https://www.popsci.com/how- it- works- project- loon- global-internet/ https:// www.researchgate.net/

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