Google spinout Aalyria has a laser communications technology that can create networks that span land, sea, air, near space, and deep space. The company has an $8.7 million commercial contract with the US Defense Innovation Unit. Google still has a minority stake in Aalyria. It transferred nearly a decade's worth of intellectual property, patents, and physical assets to Aalyria earlier this year. Alphabet has been looking more into its experimental projects due to a slowdown in ad spending.