Elon Musk Has New Mission: Provide Cheap Internet Access to the World

SpaceX has the unique ability of launching stuff’s into space very cheaply and now Elon Musk is ready to capitalize on the same ability. Musk has announced that at present he is working on deployment of a constellation, which will comprise of nearly 700 satellites with the aim of bringing cheap internet access to every person around the world. According to Musk, in terms of finance and ideology, he is more attracted to under connected part of the world like Asia, South America, and Africa but he also agrees to that, the same satellite based internet can be very useful to many rural areas of Europe and North America.

According to the reports released by the Wall Street Journal a few days ago, Musk was also working along with WorldVu on a satellite internet startup, which has slunk out of covertness over the couple of months. Greg Wyler is the person who founded WorldVu; he was also the same person who started O3b. The Company O3b (other 3 billion) is the internet company which was started with the aim of serving internet to people who do not have access to internet at all.

Elon has already confirmed that he is working with SpaceX in forming satellites and they are expecting to make official announcement in the next couple of months. However, there was no confirmation given that WorldVu is working with SpaceX. According to the WSJ reports, both WorldVu and SpaceX are working on the same concept of launching 700 satellites. Each of these satellites will be weighing around 113 kg (250 pounds) and fair into a low altitude orbit of about 800-965km (500-600 miles). Apart from the weight and size, there are no other technical details available about the satellites.

WorldVu: 

WorldVu has been able to acquire a license from SkyBridge called Ku-band, which is a completely failed internet enterprise. The satellites are being targeted to be placed in 20 orbits with the aim of providing consistent internet all around the world. At present no information has been given out on the speed and the cost of the availing the internet. According to Elon, the internet will be provided at very low cost but very much comparable to the current internet access provided by the expensive satellites.

Satellite Internet Access: 

It has been observed that the internet access from satellites is not only expensive but also very unreliable and slow. This can be attributed to the high cost of satellite building and launch the satellites. Historically launching a single satellite in space costs around $ 50 Million and WorldVu is planning to launch 700, but due to their association with Ku-band, the prices will be low.

If WorldVu and SpaceX are able to provide the cheapest internet access to people around the world, then it will become history. People residing in rural areas and countries can easily signup with these companies and get access to the largest internet service providers.

Google Snaps Off Titan Aerospace From Facebook

Google has take over the company Titan Aerospace, which develops the drone to bring Internet access to remote areas. Actually Facebook is supposed to be bought the Titan aero space, which also had interest in the similar area.

Titanium Aerospace manufactures drones, which are powered by solar energy, can stay for five years in the air and fly at high altitude. The company has now taken over for an unknown price by Google. It has about 20 employees and is intended to remain in New Mexico, according to the Wall Street Journal reports.

Titanium Aerospace developed two unmanned aircraft to supply Internet and connecting larger areas. The smaller Solara 50 has a wingspan of 50 meters. An Airbus A320 has a wingspan of 34.10 meters. The large wing area is equipped with solar cells that are to win the necessary operating power for the aircraft.

At first it looked as if Google set for the Internet supply of remote areas on weather balloons, while Facebook is more interested in high-flying drones. But now Google seems to delight even for the technology. The Titan acquired by Google Aerospace builds drones. Industry rumored Facebook was also interested in the company.

Both the weather balloons and the flying drones are going to replace satellites and float in the upper atmosphere and staying relatively longer period. According to a Wall Street Journal report, the team of Titanium Aerospace will now work on Google's weather balloon hotspot Project Loon. The balloons are designed as floating Wi-Fi hotspots to bring the Internet into inaccessible regions of the world.

They are to be used at an altitude of 20 kilometers, where the wind speeds are relatively moderate. A balloon can provide an area with a diameter of about 40 kilometers. The balloons are powered by solar cells. Google had also taken over the past year with Makani a company that builds a flying wind turbine to generate electricity.

Airborne Wind Turbine (AWT) is called Makani and it was taken over by Google himself earlier. This is an unmanned aerial vehicle, on which several wind turbines are mounted. The aircraft is similar to a kite; it is attached to a cable on the ground on which it is held in the air.

The advantage is that the wind is blowing steadily at a higher altitude. Facebook had taken with Ascenta a company that developed an unmanned solar-powered aircraft. The team worked some with even at QinetiQ.

The company developed the Zephyr aircraft, which is already in use for several years and a wingspan of almost 23 meters, has a weight of only 50 kilograms. In 2008, the solar plane managed an unofficial drone world record when it was in the air over 82 hours. 2010 was the QinetiQ Zephyr for two weeks circling over the southwestern United States.