Facebook Confirms That It Is Building A New Internet Satellite 'Athena'

At its secretive Building 8 innovation lab, Facebook has been working on a slew of projects that would allow them to axle Net to under-developed areas. While the social media giant may have abased its plans to build Internet-beaming drones, it has now officially confirmed that it has started work on a new satellite projection dubbed Athena.

Facebook hasn't given away many details of this new project but the folks over at Wired have managed to secure some info via a Freedom of Data Act asking. It returned electronic mail conversations between the FCC officials and Facebook over the previous two years.

As per the FCC documents uncovered past Wired, the social media giant is now edifice a new Internet-beaming satellite that will render broadband Internet services to 'unserved and underserved areas' of the globe. The Facebook reps were establish to exist referring to a 'modest satellite experimental application for the Athena satellite.'

facebook internet satellite

This is not the first time we're hearing about Facebook'due south Internet-beaming small satellite. The rumors virtually the same started making rounds of the Internet before this year when IEEE uncovered FCC filings referring to a satellite dubbed Athena. It then pointed back to Facebook but at that place was no confirmation of it till engagement. In an official argument, a Facebook spokesperson said,

"While we have nix to share about specific projects at this time, we believe satellite technology will be an important enabler of the next generation of broadband infrastructure, making information technology possible to bring broadband connectivity to rural regions where internet connectivity is lacking or non-existent."

Facebook has been dabbling with the idea of effulgent Cyberspace to underdeveloped areas, where people don't have any access to broadband connections. Information technology was first supposed to provide Cyberspace admission beyond the globe with its solar-powered Aquila drones and using mini-satellites.

The company aimed to launch its showtime satellite to beam Net to some parts of Africa back in 2016, but the plan didn't become through every bit SpaceX'southward Falcon ix rocket exploded with Facebook'southward satellite on it.

The company is, even so, back to trying to build a new satellite to join people even from remote areas. It is gunning to launch Athena satellite in early 2019, so stay tuned for more than info. What is your opinion on the social media giant'southward programme to beam Internet using satellites? Tell us in the comments below.