Three men in sunglasses and slippers scoot around a tennis court-sized sheet of plastic, marking it up and down with blue Sharpies. After coming down from the stratosphere, where it traveled at high speeds and low temperatures, a balloon is undergoing a forensic process.
Could what looks like a giant plastic trashbag be the future of global internet connectivity?
X, the moonshot factory of Google’s parent company Alphabet, certainly sees it as part of the solution, especially after announcing yesterday that they are one step closer to delivering on the promise of balloon-powered internet access.
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About the author
Catherine Cheneycatherinecheney
Catherine Cheney is the Senior Editor for Special Coverage at Devex. She leads the editorial vision of Devex’s news events and editorial coverage of key moments on the global development calendar. Catherine joined Devex as a reporter, focusing on technology and innovation in making progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. Prior to joining Devex, Catherine earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Yale University, and worked as a web producer for POLITICO, a reporter for World Politics Review, and special projects editor at NationSwell. She has reported domestically and internationally for outlets including The Atlantic and the Washington Post. Catherine also works for the Solutions Journalism Network, a non profit organization that supports journalists and news organizations to report on responses to problems.