Google reportedly in talks to make $30 million investment in Virgin Galactic

Just a few days after announcing its $500 million acquisition of satellite imaging company SkyBox, Google is now rumored to be making an investment in yet another satellite company. According to a new report out of Sky News, Google is currently planning to make a roughly $30 million investment in Virgin Galactic. The two companies have reportedly been in negotiations for months now, but have finally reached the “advanced” stages.

Another part of the partnership between the two companies would see the Virgin Galactic licensing its satellite technology to Google as it plans to spend more than $1 billion on the technology to bring internet to unwired areas of the world.

For those unfamiliar, Virgin Galactic is a company owned by Richard Branson that hopes to provide tours of space to normal people. Although the first flight has yet to take place, many celebrities have already purchased seats on it. Google would obviously use Virgin Galactic and its technology to help it reach its goal of bringing internet to the entire world via low orbit satellites. Theoretically, if Virgin Galactic ever reached commercial viability and had space tours going on relatively often, then Google could use those satellites for its project.

Google and Virgin Atlantic, obviously, both declined to comment.