SpaceX seals first in-flight wifi deal
Elon Musk’s SpaceX has signed its first deal with an air carrier to provide in-flight wifi services. The agreement comes amid the race between satellite providers to install high-speed internet on commercial flights.
The deal is with semi-private jet service JSX and includes equipping 100 planes with Starlink terminals, with the first Starlink-connected plane taking flight by the end of this year.
Delta Air Lines is also conducting exploratory tests to use Starlink technology on its aircraft. In 2021, the airline was voted ‘World’s Leading Airline to North America’ by World Travel Awards
SpaceX has launched some 2,000 Starlink satellites since 2019 and offers broadband internet service to customers around the globe. Space X is also targetting gaining customers in rural areas with little to no internet access.
The Starlink service on JSX planes will come at no charge to JSX customers, the jet service said in its statement.
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Musk has previously said he wants to launch a constellation of around 42,000 satellites as part of the Starlink system in the future.