谷歌5亿美元收购卫星公司

    谷歌（Google）在太空科技领域的地位将得到进一步增强。

    一份声明显示，这家互联网巨头以5亿美元收购了卫星公司Skybox Imaging。

    据报道，谷歌首先将利用此项收购改善其电子地图的图像质量。未来，谷歌也可能利用这家公司的服务将互联网铺到全球更多地方。

    “Skybox的卫星将帮助谷歌地图（Google Maps）准确提供最新图像。假以时日，我们还希望Skybox的团队和科技将能帮助改善互联网接入和灾难救援——这些是谷歌长期以来非常感兴趣的领域。”谷歌表示。

    与此同时，Skybox也赞扬了这一新的合作伙伴关系：“我们双方都主张让信息（特别是准确的地理空间信息）变得更易获得和产生价值，”该公司在其博客中宣称。

    Skybox补充说，协议“尚未最终完成”，而谷歌也提到，此项交易仍“取决于常规完成交易条件”，包括美国监管机构的批准等。（财富中文网）

    Deal will improve Google’s map imagery and help spread Internet access around the world.

    Google GOOG -0.28% is about to increase its foothold on outer space tech.

    The Internet giant has purchased satellite company Skybox Imaging for $500 million, according to astatement.

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    The company will reportedly first use the acquisition to improve its imagery for digital maps. Down the road, Google may also use the company to bring the Internet to more places around the world.

    “Skybox’s satellites will help keep Google Maps accurate with up-to-date imagery. Over time, we also hope that Skybox’s team and technology will be able to help improve Internet access and disaster relief — areas Google has long been interested in,” Google said.

    Skybox, meanwhile, praised the new partnership: “We both believe in making information (especially accurate geospatial information) accessible and useful,” the company announced on its blog.

    Skybox added that the agreement “hasn’t closed yet,” while Google mentioned the transaction is still “subject to customary closing conditions,” including U.S. regulatory approvals.