As The Wall Street Journal reports, Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta, has confirmed that “exploratory testing” has been performed using Starlink technology. However, several tests are necessary before it can be used on commercial flights. Bastian declined to divulge details of those tests, but SpaceX executive Jonathan Hofeller previously spoke about the company’s discussions with multiple airlines in mid-2021.
As a reminder, Delta was not in favor of paid Internet services on its planes. Wishing to deviate from this traditional model, the airline had already tried to offer free Wi-Fi on select flights before the pandemic hitsand this strategy could now continue thanks to the help of SpaceX.
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Starlink is coming to planes soon
SpaceX had previously discussed some details regarding the efficiency of its in-flight service. According to her, her goal would be to offer ” a service where every passenger on the plane can stream a stream simultaneously “. Since many flights may have 100-200 or more passengers, this would require quite a bit of bandwidth. Indeed, Netflix recommends for example 5 Mbps for a single 1080p stream.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk tweeted this time last year that Starlink antennas for aircraft would first need to be certified for each aircraft type. He added that the company focused on antennas for 737 and A320 aircraftas these are the most widely used across the world.
In any case, the arrival of Starlink in planes could truly disrupt air transport. Each passenger could have an even faster connection than at present, but above all we imagine that it would be unlimited. It’s about a good news for those who wish to stay in touch with their loved ones during flights, or enjoy their favorite streaming services. After the planes, we also know that SpaceX intends to install Starlink in boats and carsbut we will certainly have to wait a few more years before seeing all the vehicles being connected.
Schedule driver there is regulatory approval. Has to be certified for each aircraft type. Focusing on 737 & A320, as those serve most number of people, with development testing on Gulfstream.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 25, 2021