Reports indicate Google is ready to fully go where few companies have gone before: into space.
According to a report citing unnamed sources in the Wall Street Journal, the Silicon Valley search company is aiming to spend more than a billion dollars in an effort to send hundreds of low-orbit satellites into space to deliver Internet to areas of the planet that currently are underserved.
The report gave few details to the project, but claims that 180 small, high-capacity satellites are to be launched into space and will orbit the Earth at levels lower than the traditional satellites currently up there, which would make communication around the globe easier and bring Internet to areas where there currently is no service available.
Other reports that have come out since the Journal's initial story have indicated that the cost to put the satellites in orbit could be as high as $2 billion or more. But with Google not commenting on the press coverage at the moment, it is unclear what the estimated costs will be for the company.
It reportedly is a venture led by the founder of O3b Networks, a satellite-communications startup company, and it will have a number of engineers hired to work on the project from Space Systems/Loral.
The Journal did report the price tag according to some officials could even be triple the current estimates.
It is part of Google's continued push into regions of the planet that are currently without or have limited Internet access. Last year the company launched Project Loon, which has a goal of delivering Internet service via balloon.
The satellites, similar to the Loon project, are expected to be linked to transmitters on the ground where signals can then be broadcast, giving service to underserved areas across the world.
It follows Google's continued move into the space arena, which saw the search company purchase Titan Aerospace in April. Titan is a leader in solar-powered drone aircrafts that can fly at high altitudes.
If the project goes forward, it would be another coup for Google in the battle for space supremacy. Facebook has also announced similar goals for driving Internet access, but Google continues to outpace its fellow Silicon Valley company with new acquisitions and new ventures.
"Titan Aerospace and Google share a profound optimism about the potential for technology to improve the world. It's still early days, but atmospheric satellites could help bring Internet access to millions of people, and help solve other problems, including disaster relief and environmental damage like deforestation. It's why we're so excited to welcome Titan Aerospace to the Google family," a Google spokesman said in confirming the reports after the acquisition was reported.
