OuterNet : Free Wifi from the Space

Outernet Logo

What is OuterNet?

"WiFi for the World from Outer Space
Unrestricted, globally accessible, broadcast data.
Quality content from all over the Internet.
Available to all of humanity.
For free"

That is the Outernet moto. Quite a lot of promises and challenges in one quote!

Outernet is basically a telelcom company striving to provide free wifi access from outerspace by using a constellation of miniature satellites.

There are more WiFi devices in the world than people, yet only 60% of the global population has access to the wealth of knowledge found on the Internet. The price of smartphones and tablets is dropping year after year, but the price of data in many parts of the world continues to be unaffordable for the majority of global citizens. In some places, such as rural areas and remote regions, cell towers and Internet cables simply don't exist. The primary objective of the Outernet is to bridge this global information divide.

How are they going to Achieve it?

Outernet will consist of a constellation of hundreds of low-cost, miniature satellites in Low Earth Orbit. Each satellite receives data streams from a network of ground stations and transmits that data in a continuous loop until new content is received. In order to serve the widest possible global audience, the entire constellation utilizes UDP-based multicasting over WiFi. Although still not common, WiFi multicasting is a proven technology, especially when the data requires only one hop to reach the recipient.

A Typical CubeSat

Outernet will be using CubeSats for its constellation. A CubeSat is a type of miniaturized satellite for space research that usually has a volume of exactly one liter (10 cm cube), has a mass of no more than 1.33 kilograms,[1] and typically uses commercial off-the-shelf components for its electronics.

What will it deliver?

• News and Information
• Application and content.
• Weather and Emergency Broadcast.
• Educational Courseware.

When will it deliver?

Outernet says that it has already started prototyping the satellites. In september 2014 it start transmission testing from the ISS. If all goes well the first satellite will launch in June 2015.