It can also now build them so there are no tiny defects that can drastically shorten flights. “We’ve been able to figure out how to reliably and at scale cut, seam together in a pumpkin shape, wrap up, stuff in a giant box, and ship balloons across the country to our launch sites,” Candido wrote. The company also learned how to fill the balloons in around 45 minutes and shield them from wind while doing so, ensuring they don’t get battered by the elements before launching.

And when they do fly, Google monitors “hundreds of telemetry data streams related to flight