中国公司的气球上网

A Chinese aerospace supplier is following the lead of American search engine company Google by preparing to test a WiFi transmission system that relies on high-altitude balloons to reach remote areas. Shenzhen-based Kuang-Chi Science Ltd. plans to test the balloons in the skies above New Zealand before July, some two years after Google’s Project Loon sent 30 balloons sailing into the stratosphere over that country as part of a WiFi service experiment. Kuang-Chi has already stationed a team in New Zealand to prepare for the launch of the Traveler balloon, said Xu Yuqin, a company manager. Kuang-Chi’s helium balloon is 40 meters in diameter, and will float up to 100 kilometers above sea level, above the flight routes used by commercial airlines. It will relay WiFi signals to mobile phones and computers, circumventing standard, ground-based wireless services offered by telecom companies. Kuang-Chi is also developing a balloon network for providing Internet services to support mining, disaster relief and forest protection in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Xu said the company is discussing similar potential agreements with the governments of Uzbekistan and South Africa. For Caixin Online, this is Roma Eisenstark 与全球知名的谷歌气球相比，中国一家新近崭露头角的研究机构也正在进行自己的气球上网计划。据财新记者了解，来自深圳光启研究院（光启科学）的“旅行者号”气球，近期将在新西兰开始试验。 2013年，谷歌启动了气球上网项目“ProjectLoon”，谷歌将把充满氦气的气球发送到2万米高空，通过借助卫星等手段，向广阔的乡村偏远地区提供互联网覆盖。每个热气球上携带着无线网络信号的收发器，信号覆盖的面积可以达到两个纽约城那么大。 许毓钦透露，目前他们放飞临近空间测试气球“旅行者号”的先期团队已经到达新西兰进行准备工作。之所以在新西兰测试，是因为这里的空域申请比较容易，谷歌的很多次放飞气球试验也是在新西兰完成。 今年2月6日，深圳光启研究院（光启科学）宣布其临近空间飞行器“云端号”试飞及商用测试取得成功。结果表明，“云端号”可以在4000米高空向8000平方公里面积提供WiFi信号。在此前他们还曾经公告称，已与刚果（金）签署了战略合作协议，将在地广人稀处展开商业化实践。 光启科学品牌经理许毓钦告诉财新记者除刚果（金）外，他们还在与乌兹别克斯坦、南非等国家商谈合作的可能性。