SpaceX Starlink will soon provide inflight internet to more aircraft types
SpaceX Starlink will soon be able to provide internet to more aircraft types. According to the updated Starlink.com site, SpaceX is working to get approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to install Starlink terminals on different airplanes.
The company needs Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs) for each aircraft. An STC is issued when a company has been authorized by the FAA to modify a flying vehicle. SpaceX says it is working to get STCs for the aircraft listed below:
- Embraer ERJ-135, ERJ-140, ERJ-145
- Gulfstream G650
- Gulfstream G550
- Dassault Falcon 2000
- Gulfstream G450
- Challenger 300/350
- Challenger 600, 601, 604, 605, 650
- Global Express
- Global 5000
- Global 6000
- Global 7500
- King Air 200/300
- Caravan C208
- ATR 72-500, 72-600
- Embraer E170, E175, E190, E195
- Embraer Phenom 300
- Dash Q400 (8-400), Q300 (8-300)
- Airbus A321
- Airbus A330
- Boeing 737
- Boeing 757
- Boeing 787
“The Starlink engineering team will update this list as development begins on additional aircraft. Interested in creating a certification (STC) for Starlink on an airframe not listed? Please contact us,” says the company on its website. The Starlink Aviation terminal is a flat squared phased array antenna that is installed seamlessly on the aircraft’s exterior, as pictured above. The hardware costs $150,000 USD with a monthly internet subscription cost of $12,500 to $25,000 per month, depending on the airlines’ needs.
Multiple airlines already provide internet to passengers, including: Hawaiian Airlines which operates a fleet of Airbus A330 and A321neo aircraft, as well as an incoming fleet of Boeing 787-9s; And JSX charter airline which operates a fleet of Embraer ERJ jets.
“Starlink can deliver up to 350 Mbps to each plane, enabling all passengers to access streaming-capable internet at the same time,” says SpaceX, “With latency as low as 20 ms, passengers can engage in activities previously not functional in flight, including video calls, online gaming, virtual private networks and other high data rate activities.”