SpaceX revealed the official details of the Starlink Aviation satellite internet service for airplanes and promises to offer speeds up to 350 Mbps for each aircraft. The CEO of Delta, Ed Bastian, earlier this year admitted that the airline conducted «investigative tests» of Starlink's internet technology for its planes. Hawaiian Airlines also announced that it will begin testing Starlink internet with «selected» aircraft in 2023 around the same period. Shortly after this and after the launch of Starlink for RVs, the Federal Communications Commission authorized the company to provide satellite Internet services to vehicles.
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Starlink Aviation, according to the company’s FAQ page, will be available worldwide, as long as the plane equipped with its Aero Terminals has an unobstructed view of the sky. The service’s satellites orbit in low Earth orbit , so there’s almost always one or more overhead. SpaceX says that means passengers will have consistent internet access whether the plane is over land or water, even when taking off or landing.
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If Starlink Aviation can actually deliver on SpaceX’s promises, it would make it much faster than other satellite options that offer speeds of up to 100 Mbps per plane at most. The company claims the service will allow passengers to do things they couldn’t do during the flight, like make video calls, play online games, and use VPNs.
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The service will initially be available for select planes, but the company plans to expand support for more aircraft in the future. SpaceX plans to begin deliveries of its Starlink Aviation Aero Terminal kits in 2023, so the first airlines to offer the service as an in-flight WiFi option will likely announce it in the coming months
Information source: engadget.com
