Aalyria, a start-up based in Livermore, California, with roots in Google’s now-disbanded Project Loon, emerged from stealth to unveil its ambitions for satellite communications.
Aalyria will offer a software platform for orchestrating networks of ground stations, aircraft, satellites, ships, and urban meshes. The software optimizes and continually evolves the antenna link scheduling, network traffic routing, and spectrum resources. In addition, Aalyria will leverage an advanced coherent light free space optics technology for satellite-to-surface communications.
Aalyria is backed by leading Silicon Valley investors including the founders of Accel, J2 Ventures and Housatonic.
Google cancels Project Loon
Google is saying goodbye to Project Loon, its long-running effort to bring broadband connectivity to rural areas via free-floating balloons. The moonshot project launched in 2013 with a mission to deliver Internet access to “all the world’s people” including remote locations on every continent.” In a blog posting, Alastair Westgarth, CEO of Loon, said the company simply did not find a way “to get the costs low enough to build a long-term, sustainable…
Loon enters commercial service in Kenya
Alphabet’s Loon division began providing broadband service via balloon to subscribers of Telkom Kenya. The service footprint spans nearly 50,000 square kilometers across western and central parts of Kenya, including the areas of Iten, Eldoret, Baringo, Nakuru, Kakamega, Kisumu, Kisii, Bomet, Kericho, and Narok. Loon is using a fleet of around 35 or more separate balloons circulating in the stratosphere. The company is aiming to add balloons over…
