Google to Launch Balloon Internet System in Rural Kenya
谷歌将在肯尼亚农村发射气球网络系统
A Google-backed project to bring internet connectivity to rural areas around the world is set to launch its first service in Kenya.
由谷歌支持的可将互联网连接带到世界上的乡村地区的项目将在肯尼亚推出其首个服务项目。
The project is led by Loon, which is owned by Google’s parent company, Alphabet. Large balloons carry solar-powered equipment high in the sky to send high-speed internet signals to the ground.
它是谷歌的母公司Alphabet旗下公司Loon开发的项目。携带着太阳能设备的大型气球在高空中将高速网络信号传到地面。
Loon officials told the Reuters news service that its balloons are expected to reach Kenya in the coming weeks.
Loon公司职员告诉路透社通讯社，它的气球预计在未来几周将肯尼亚运行。
Loon began testing the system in 2011, but this is the company’s first market test.
Loon公司在2011年开始检测这个系统，但是这是该公司的首次商业化测试。
The project involves Telkom Kenya, the country’s third-largest telecommunications company. The service will sell 4G internet service to people living in a rural, mountainous area. Kenyan transportation officials said they expect to give final approval to the project this month.
肯尼亚第三大运营商Telkom Kenya也参与了此次项目。此服务将出售给生活在乡村和山区的人们4G网络服务。肯尼亚运输系统官员表示他们期望这个月该项目能获得最终批准。
Loon aims to bring high-speed internet connectivity to places where populations are “unserved or underserved.” The sky-based system can deploy to areas where there are too few people to support the building of signal equipment on the ground.
Loon公司旨在将高速网络连接输送给那些“无网络服务或者网络服务很劣质”的人类生活区。这个高空系统能将网络部署到由于人口太少而无力支持在地面建设信号设备的地区。
The balloons that lift the equipment are about 24 meters tall and eight meters wide, Loon says in a description on its website. It is made of a plastic material that is built to last at least 100 days.
Loon公司在其官网上的一段描述中称，气球携带的设备约24米高，8米宽。它由塑料材料制成，并且能使用至少100天。
The balloons are filled with gas that is lighter than air and rise up to 20 kilometers into the sky – a height twice as high as airplanes fly. This helps the balloons avoid weather problems and wildlife.
这些气球充满了比空气更轻的气体并能上升到距离地面20千米的高空。这个高度是飞机飞行高度的两倍。这样做可帮助气球避免天气和野生动物等因素的干扰。
Loon balloons move through the skies by wind currents that carry them up and down during the flight path. They are designed to link up with a team of balloons over areas lacking internet connectivity.
气流推着Loon公司的气球在空中移动并在航线中间上下移动。他们被设计成相互连接的一组气球漂浮在缺乏互联网连接地区的上空。
Stations on the ground send signals from local internet service providers up to the balloons.
地面站点从当地互联网服务供应商那里将信号发射给气球。
These signals are then fed back to earth in a similar way to how satellites work.
然后这些信号被反射回地面，这种方式与人造卫星的工作原理类似。
People on the ground can then connect to the high-speed internet service.
然后地面上的人便能连接到高速的互联网服务。
Loon says solar collectors power the equipment during the day and charge a battery to run the system at night. When the life of the balloon ends, a parachute self-deploys to guide it back down to the ground.
Loon公司表示，白天太阳能集热器给这个设备提供能量，而晚上给电池充电来推动这个系统运转。当气球的生命周期结束时，降落伞会自动调节将其带回地面。
The sky-based system already showed success in temporary service launches in Peru and Puerto Rico during natural disasters.
这个高空系统已经在秘鲁和波多黎各发生自然灾害期间推出了暂时的服务而取得成功。
Loon says its balloons were operational in 48 hours in May after a powerful earthquake struck a rural part of Peru. In the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, Loon balloons were deployed after Hurricane Maria hit in 2017. In both cases, the equipment was provided for free to make up for internet signals that had been cut.
Loon公司表示它的气球于五月份在一次强烈地震袭击秘鲁农村地区后，运行了48小时。2017年遭受玛利亚飓风袭击后，在波多黎各的美国领地上部署了Loon公司的气球。在两次事例中，这个设备被免费提供用于弥补暂时被切断的互联网信号。
Alastair Westgarth heads Loon. He says that, in addition to Telkom Kenya, several other telecommunications companies are close to signing deals with the company. He did not provide details.
阿拉斯泰尔·威斯特是Loon公司的领导。他表示除了Telkom Kenya之外，其他几个运营商也即将与Loon签订协议。他并没有提供细节。
Officials at several wireless carriers told Reuters they are still exploring the possibilities of working with Loon.
几家无线运营商的职员告诉路透社他们仍在探索与Loon公司合作的可能性。
Hervé Suquet is head of technology and information for Orange Middle East and Africa. He said Loon first needs to prove itself in Kenya. “If the results are positive, we would then be potentially interested,” he said in a statement.
赫维·苏奎特是Orange Middle East and Africa的技术与信息领导人员。他表示Loon首先需要在肯尼亚证明自己。“如果结果是积极性的，我们接着可能将对它产生兴趣，”他在一次声明中表示。
Kuwait-based carrier Zain Group said it, too, is watching the Kenyan trial closely before making a decision on Loon.
位于科威特的运营商Zain Group表示在对与Loon公司合作问题做出决定之前，它也将紧密地观察肯尼亚的测试。
I'm Bryan Lynn.
布赖恩·林恩为您报道。
Google to Launch Balloon Internet System in Rural Kenya
A Google-backed project to bring internet connectivity to rural areas around the world is set to launch its first service in Kenya.
The project is led by Loon, which is owned by Google’s parent company, Alphabet. Large balloons carry solar-powered equipment high in the sky to send high-speed internet signals to the ground.
Loon officials told the Reuters news service that its balloons are expected to reach Kenya in the coming weeks.
Loon began testing the system in 2011, but this is the company’s first market test.
The project involves Telkom Kenya, the country’s third-largest telecommunications company. The service will sell 4G internet service to people living in a rural, mountainous area. Kenyan transportation officials said they expect to give final approval to the project this month.
Loon aims to bring high-speed internet connectivity to places where populations are “unserved or underserved.” The sky-based system can deploy to areas where there are too few people to support the building of signal equipment on the ground.
The balloons that lift the equipment are about 24 meters tall and eight meters wide, Loon says in a description on its website. It is made of a plastic material that is built to last at least 100 days.
The balloons are filled with gas that is lighter than air and rise up to 20 kilometers into the sky – a height twice as high as airplanes fly. This helps the balloons avoid weather problems and wildlife.
Loon balloons move through the skies by wind currents that carry them up and down during the flight path. They are designed to link up with a team of balloons over areas lacking internet connectivity.
Stations on the ground send signals from local internet service providers up to the balloons.
These signals are then fed back to earth in a similar way to how satellites work.
People on the ground can then connect to the high-speed internet service.
Loon says solar collectors power the equipment during the day and charge a battery to run the system at night. When the life of the balloon ends, a parachute self-deploys to guide it back down to the ground.
The sky-based system already showed success in temporary service launches in Peru and Puerto Rico during natural disasters.
Loon says its balloons were operational in 48 hours in May after a powerful earthquake struck a rural part of Peru. In the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, Loon balloons were deployed after Hurricane Maria hit in 2017. In both cases, the equipment was provided for free to make up for internet signals that had been cut.
Alastair Westgarth heads Loon. He says that, in addition to Telkom Kenya, several other telecommunications companies are close to signing deals with the company. He did not provide details.
Officials at several wireless carriers told Reuters they are still exploring the possibilities of working with Loon.
Hervé Suquet is head of technology and information for Orange Middle East and Africa. He said Loon first needs to prove itself in Kenya. “If the results are positive, we would then be potentially interested,” he said in a statement.
Kuwait-based carrier Zain Group said it, too, is watching the Kenyan trial closely before making a decision on Loon.
I'm Bryan Lynn.
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Words in This Story
battery – n.device that produces and can store electricity
potentially – adv.the possibility of happening in the future
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