SpaceX introduced Starlink satellite internet service, specific to aviation, as Elon Musk’s company looks to expand further into the in-flight WiFi market.
The company will charge $150,000 for the necessary equipment to connect an aircraft to Starlink, while the monthly cost of the service will be between $12,500 per month and $25,000 per month.
Web service for aviation customers is scheduled to begin “in mid-2023,” the company said, and reservations require a down payment of $5,000.
SpaceX advertises “global coverage” through a flat panel antenna that customers would install on top of an aircraft.
SpaceX said it is seeking Federal Aviation Administration certification for a variety of aircraft, most of which are typically owned and operated as private jets.
As for quality of service, SpaceX says Starlink aviation customers can expect speeds of up to 350 megabits per second, “enabling all passengers to access the Internet with streaming capabilities at the same time.”
“Passengers can engage in activities not previously operational during flight, including video calling, online gaming, virtual private networks and other high-speed data activities,” SpaceX said on its Starlink website.