Satellite Company, Skybox Imaging has been acquired by Google for $500 million in cash. This company had a forte of high resolution satellite image capturing. Prior, it sounded like the technology incorporated by Skybox to bring in the new and fresh photos of the satellites to Google Earth and Google Maps. As per stated by Google, to Recode, Skybox’s up to date technology of imagery will help Google to have accurate mapping. It also added that the Skybox technology will help Google achieve the techniques of disaster relief and faster access to Internet, which Google had been longing for.
Google has shelled off considerable amount of cash to seize the satellite companies to help in Google’s future plans. Titan Aerospace, which Facebook had eyed upon to fulfill its own ambitions for internet service delivery was purchased by Google in April. After the purchase of Titan, Google proposed the idea that with the help of atmospheric satellites, offering millions of people the access to internet will help in solving the problems of disaster exposure and deforestation to save the environment. Eventually, Skybox’s satellites will be repurposed on the similar lines. Google has beforehand sketched the plans for the delivery of internet services to far reach of the Earth with its Project Loon comprised with ’moon shot’ that makes the use of balloons in beaming down the web connectivity present of remote spaces.
The acquisition at $500 million announced will be initially providing Google the means of quality improvement satellite imagery immediacy to make the use of it in digital maps. Google Inc. plans on Skybox’s satellite already present in orbit to advance and better the material which is being licensed by Google from almost more than 10000 sources inclusive of other satellite companies like Astrium and Digital Globe. Google has made near about 250 acquisitions during the previous decade introducing the expansion of many of them into the bigger and newer markets along with the mobile devices and the maps.
Skybox is a company 5 year old from California which is located at a distance of mile and a half from the headquarters of Google in the same city of Silicon Valley. Guided by the veteran of aerospace industry, Tom Ingersoll, Skybox strived its working on extra piece of satellites which should be pretty much easier in order to be compatible with the backing up process for Google. 100 people and $ 91 million was invested by Skybox at the start, as a gesture of capital support. Google is looking forward in achieving the regulatory approval in manipulating the Skybox Imaging in coming few months. The deal has to be approved by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association and also the Federal Communications Commission.
