Until now, Facebook's mission to beam internet connectivity to the world through its Internet.org philanthropic organization has been largely limited to piggy-backing on existing wireless networks on the ground. Sure, Facebook has tested Aquila, its experimental laser internet drone. But a huge announcement today by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg marks the first real piece of hardware that will bring internet to previously unconnected regions: a new satellite. That's right, Facebook is going to space.

In partnership with EutelSat, a satellite company with a current fleet of 39 machines orbiting our planet, Zuckerberg says Facebook will work to bring broadband internet to large swaths of sub-Saharan Africa by 2016.

The two companies will be using new hardware from Spacecom, specifically the AMOS-6 satellite, which is still under construction at the moment. When completed and launched (planned for 2016), the AMOS-6 will be able to transmit 36 high-throughput beams ranging from 26.5 to 40 GHz (Ka band) to Africa, and three 12-18 GHz (Ku band) beams to the Middle East and Europe.