Google is going to SPACE: Firm invests in Elon Musk's SpaceX
comments
They are two of the most ambitious firms in the hi-tech space - and are combining to put the internet in orbit and accessible to everyone.
Google is to invest in Elon Musk's plan to launch a constellation of satellites in space.
His SpaceX firm today confirmed it has raised a billion dollars in a new round of financing.
Scroll down for video
Elon Musk, (pictured) says he wants to build a second internet in space, which could one day be used to enable people living on Mars to get online
'Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) has raised a billion dollars in a financing round with two new investors, Google and Fidelity,' it confirmed, following speculation.
'Google and Fidelity join existing investors Founders Fund, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Valor Equity Partners and Capricorn.
'Google and Fidelity will collectively own just under 10 percent of the company.'
Google is already developing its own hi-altitude balloons to deliver access to remote areas.
'This funding will be used to support continued innovation in the areas of space transport, reusability, and satellite manufacturing,' SpaceX said.
According to The Information the deal will help SpaceX develop satellites that could beam low-cost Internet around the globe to billions who don't have it.
'The price and terms Google and SpaceX are discussing couldn't be learned although one person familiar with them said Google has agreed to value SpaceX north of $10 billion and that the size of the total round, which includes other investors, is very large,' the site said.
Share this article
Google was believed to be planning the launch of a fleet of 180 satellites to provide web access for the 4.8 billion people not yet online.
Google is tipped to spend $1 billion (£600 million) on the technology and is also planning on using balloons and drones.
Google's Project Loon aims to launch high-altitude balloons to provide broadband service to remote locations below.
The helium-filled balloons are designed to inflate to 49ft (15 metres) in diameter and carry transmitters that could beam 3G-speed internet to remote regions.
In April, the company also acquired Titan Aerospace, which is building solar-powered drones to provide similar connectivity.
The news comes days after SpaceX founder Elon Musk said he has set his sights on bringing it to space too.
Mr Musk's project would involve hundreds of satellites orbiting about 750 miles (1,207km) above the planet – far closer than communications satellites in geosynchronous orbit at 22,000 miles (35,406 km). A stock image is shown
The entrepreneur says he wants to build a second internet in space, which could one day be used to enable any people living in colonies on Mars to get online.
There is currently no name for the ambitious space venture, but it could speed up internet services on Earth too.
Mr Musk told Bloomberg Businessweek's Ashlee Vance, that his aim is to create 'a global communications system that would be larger than anything that has been talked about to date.'
Earlier this month, he said that he aims to share plans to build a colony on Mars, later this year.
He said: 'It will be important for Mars to have a global communications network as well. I think this needs to be done, and I don't see anyone else doing it.'
The project could cost $10 billion (£7 billion) and $15 billion (£10 billion), Mr Musk revealed in a Tweet, adding that any revenues would be used to fund a colony on the red planet.
It would involve hundreds of satellites orbiting about 750 miles (1,207km) above the planet – far closer than communications satellites in geosynchronous orbit at 22,000 miles (35,406 km).
At the moment, internet data packets travelling from London to New York, for example, have to pass through numerous routers and different networks, whereas Mr Musk plans to route packs via space satellites instead.
This would make services faster and potentially cheaper too.
The project will be run from SpaceX's Seattle office, whose employees will also work on the firm's Falcon rockets, for example.
The ultimate goal is provide high-speed internet to the three billion people who have poor or no access to the web.
It's thought it will take at least five years to produce and launch the first generation of satellites and the project could take over 15 years to work how Mr Musk envisions, The Huffington Post reported.
The race is on to connect remote parts of the world, with both Google and Facebook also investing in technologies such as balloons and drones.
Earlier this month, Mr Musk said that he aims to share plans to build a colony on Mars, later this year. An image of MarsOne's proposed colony on the red planet is pictured. He said: 'It will be important for Mars to have a global communications network as well'
Put the internet to work for you.
0 comments:
Post a Comment