Facebook readies first satellite for 2016 blast-off
Facebook is to boldly go where no social media provider has gone before with the launch of its own satellite in 2016, according to founder Mark Zuckerberg.
The orbiting platform could be relaying likes and status updates as early as the second half of the year as part of its internet.org project which aims to bring web access to underdeveloped regions of the world.
Announcing the move in a Facebook post Zuckerberg said: “We're going to keep working to connect the entire world - even if that means looking beyond our planet.
“Over the last year Facebook has been exploring ways to use aircraft and satellites to beam internet access down into communities from the sky," Mr Zuckerberg wrote.
"To connect people living in remote regions, traditional connectivity infrastructure is often difficult and inefficient, so we need to invent new technologies.”
To be launched in partnership with Eutelsat service users will need only ‘off the shelf’ components to access the service when it is introduced.