“Authorities said Friday that a high-tech, high-altitude balloon belonging to Google became entangled in power lines when it fell to Earth near a mint field about 2 miles south of Harrah early Thursday,” Kate Prengaman reports for Yakima Herald-Republic.
“It knocked out power to a small number of homes in the immediate area of Harrah and Fort roads when it crashed about 1 a.m., according to Bob Gravely, a spokesman for Pacific Power,” Prengaman reports. “An employee with the utility responded to the area and found ‘what appeared to be a weather balloon with blinking lights entangled in the power lines off Harrah Road,’ Gravely said.”
“On Thursday, the Federal Aviation Administration told the Yakima Herald-Republic that Google had notified the agency that its device was descending Wednesday night, so that it could ensure that all aircraft stayed safely out of its path,” Prengaman reports. “The company is developing solar-powered balloons that can be used to broadcast a wireless Internet signal in regions that lack traditional access. Known as Project Loon, the balloons are designed to float high in the atmosphere, above commercial air space.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Symbolic.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Jeff L.” for the heads up.]