Google to Buy Skybox Imaging for $500 Million - NYTimes.com

Internet access via fiber, balloons, drones, and satellites

"Google agreed on Tuesday to buy Skybox Imaging, a provider of high-quality satellite images, for $500 million, as the technology giant continues to work on fulfilling its lofty ambitions for its Internet offerings.

Initially, Skybox will help improve Google’s dominant mapping service. But over time, the five-year-old start-up and its ability to launch relatively cheap satellites could aid a bigger Google goal: expanding its Internet service offerings."

Google to Buy Skybox Imaging for $500 Million - NYTimes.com