Floating WiFi
A Ft. Lauderdale company tries to give broadband a lift.
GlobeTel of Ft. Lauderdale, Fl. is preparing to launch a gigantic, floating aircraft that will hover in the stratosphere and blanket a swath of earth the size of Texas with WiFi access.
The "stratellite," as it's called, will be enormous: a 245 ft. long by 145 ft. wide by 87 ft. tall kevlar-encased craft with solar panels to harness energy. While not technically a balloon (it doesn't inflate), the stratellite will float from a mixture of helium and nitrogen. Foreign dignitaries and the U.S. Army have requested more information, according to GlobeTel president Leigh Coleman.
Who knows if the concept will float, as details remain vague about the launch date and the craft itself. The stratellite is still being assembled in an undisclosed location in San Bernadino County in southern California, according to GlobeTel.
Creative indeed.