The Top Secret Project Google Has In The Works
Google is working on a top secret communication project involving setting up internet connectivity and networking in space.
This article is more than 2 years old
It’s not always common knowledge when Google has a secret project on the company’s radar. But, the engineers at Google are working on a very covert operation regarding high-speed communications networks. The tech company hopes to connect network systems between earth and space, similar to other companies exploring satellite-based cellular service.
The secret project, known by its alias Minkowski, will be unveiled to the broader public this week. Though people working inside Google have codenamed it Minkowski, the group working behind the scenes is called Aalyria, according to CNBC. Google hasn’t released any details about the organization inside the leading company. Still, they have had a press release regarding their undisclosed project. “hyper-fast, ultra-secure” network communication is the basis for Aalyria, which could involve communication technology beyond satellites and Musk’s SpaceX constellation.
Already, software engineering by the Aalyria team has been implemented for aerospace projects within Google. The organization said they’re developing laser communications technology, which is apparently faster than any other tech company currently working with laser correspondence. Though the press release didn’t document any concrete inventions that Aalyria has pioneered or advanced, the upcoming disclosure of Minkowski may reveal more about this secretive Google subgroup.
Some believe Aalyria’s inception was to combat a revenue slowdown at Alphabet, Google’s parent company. Earlier in the year, Alphabet had to separate its acquisitions and reduce ad spending, hoping to ward off potential antitrust lawsuits. Now, Google’s parent company is looking to cut back on spending for specific experimental projects while allocating more funds towards others, like Aalyria. Alphabet does need exterior funds to keep its secret projects going, or its innovative side endeavors could get permanently stalled.
Currently, Aalyria has an enormous contract with the US Defense Innovation Unit. The US Defense group allocated $8.7 million via a commercial agreement to Google’s team, which will help Aalyria continues its communication development. The partnership will be led by the investor’s CEO, Chris Taylor, a national security specialist who has been involved with other companies working with the US government.
Alphabet’s move to make contacts with the government isn’t shocking news. The company previously received money from federal contracts due to an upcoming Google Public Sector program. This subsidiary would work through Google Cloud and aid with confidential US government partnerships. It intends to help modernize the core technology that governments use and revamp delivery services to connect federal officials and the public more efficiently.
Ahead of the Minkowski press release, Google already released some facts about its Aalyria group. Google stated that it has a minority stake in this subsidiary but hasn’t elaborated publicly on how much that stake is worth. The tech company also hasn’t released how much exterior funding Aalyria has received outside the one government contract. Google publically noted that office spaces, patents, and years of intellectual property were given to Aalyria to continue their innovative communication research.
Google, like other tech companies, has to keep some of its projects top-secret at the beginning. In the coming weeks, more will be revealed about this elusive organization and how far they’ve gotten with experimental communication methods.
