In 2016, Facebook will launch a satellite that will provide internet access in major parts of Africa.
On Monday, the social network's CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced its partnership with French-based company, Eutelsat in his Facebook page.
"I'm excited to announce our first project to deliver internet from space," Zuckerberg wrote. "As part of our Internet.org efforts to connect the world, we're partnering with Eutelsat to launch a satellite into orbit that will connect millions of people."
This project is brought through Facebook's initiative which aims to invite more people from developing countries online.
"Over the last year Facebook has been exploring ways to use aircraft and satellites to beam internet access down into communities from the sky," he wrote. "To connect people living in remote regions, traditional connectivity infrastructure is often difficult and inefficient, so we need to invent new technologies."
Wired reports Internet.org will launch the AMOS-6 satellite into a geostationary orbit that will cover majority of west, east and southern parts of Africa. Zuckerberg adds the social network will be working hand-in-hand with local partners to ensure internet access in all regions.
"Connectivity changes lives and communities," he added. "We're going to keep working to connect the entire world -- even if that means looking beyond our planet."
It's still unknown, however, how this project would work and if the internet access will be provided for free.
According to a Eutelsat statement, people can connect to the network through "off the shell" products.
"The capacity is optimised for community and direct-to-user internet access," Eutelsat explained. The statement added this will bring network access to communities "beyond the range" of fixed and mobile terrestrial networks.
Internet.org has already launched free limited access to mobile data networks in countries such as Kenya, Colombia, Indonesia and India. After widespread protests due to restrictions to some websites in India, the organization allowed access to any sites that fit Facebook's criteria.
