Alphabet’s internet balloon subsidiary set a new stratospheric flight record

Far, far away from the polychromatic landscapes of Dr. Seussdom, Loon is on the journey of its lifetime.

Alphabet’s internet balloon subsidiary has claimed a new stratospheric flight record. Its balloon stayed aloft for 312 days, besting Loon’s prior PR by 89 days.

• Flight path: Launch from Puerto Rico -> head south to Peru -> casually circumnavigate the globe -> land in Baja, Mexico
• Fleet: Almost 100 flight systems are in the air worldwide
• Function: Beaming internet connectivity to rural, remote, and underserved areas, but also considering other use cases in the stratosphere

Bottom line

Loon has seven years of hard-won engineering, materials science, and telemetry achievements under its belt. But ultimately, Alphabet expects “Other Bets” to contribute to the bottom line.

Monetization is on the radar: Loon launched its first commercial service with Telkom Kenya In July. Prospective Loon customers are carefully watching the Kenyan operations.

+ While we’re here: "Other Bets" posted a Q3 operating loss of $1.1 billion and revenues of $178 million, Alphabet said yesterday.