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.”
》Author's note: Thanks for reading Tesmanian.com. If you have any story suggestions or feedback, feel free to Direct Message me on Twitter: Evelyn Janeidy Arevalo @JaneidyEve Or write your thoughts in the comment section below. Read my most recent stories here: Recent News Stories 《
Featured Image Source: SpaceX
About the Author
Evelyn Janeidy Arevalo
Evelyn J. Arevalo joined Tesmanian in 2019 to cover news as a Space Journalist and SpaceX Starbase Texas Correspondent. Evelyn is specialized in rocketry and space exploration. The main topics she covers are SpaceX and NASA.
