Elon Musk's company SpaceX is introducing its satellite internet for private jets. The service, which will be provided by Starlink Aviation, will provide superfast internet in private planes while they are in flight, with speeds up to 350mbps. The service will be provided by Starlink equipment, including its antenna, which must be installed in aircraft. Musk has even disclosed the service's costs.
Private jet owners will need to pay $150,000 (around Rs. 1.2 crore) to outfit a plane with Starlink connectivity, according to information that has been released so far. A network of more than 3,000 satellites called Starlink offers satellite internet access to 40 different nations.
SpaceX has introduced Starlink Aviation and monthly plans for users who want to connect to high-speed internet while flying in private aircraft. For broadband internet access inside planes, SpaceX will charge between $12,500 (about Rs 10.3 lakh) and $25,000 (roughly Rs 20.7 lakh) per month. Additionally, there will be a one-time hardware setup fee of $150,000 (about Rs 12,448,401) for aircraft owners to pay in order to set up the hardware for airborne internet connectivity.
Starlink Aviation, according to the company's website, will provide up to 350 Mbps to each aircraft, enabling travellers to access high-speed internet for streaming or working while in the air. Customers will be able to conduct video chats, play online games, and perform other tasks that have hitherto been virtually hard to do while flying.
Midway through 2023, SpaceX will begin offering Starlink Aviation's in-flight internet connectivity service. A reservation fee of $5,000 (about Rs. 4.1 lakh) is required to book a flight with Starlink Aviation as of right now. Notably, the Supplemental type certificates (STCs), which the civil aviation authorities provide when an application has obtained FAA clearance to change an aeronautical product from its original design, are now only available to a limited number of aircraft. The chosen aircraft include the ERJ-135 and ERJ-145, as well as the G650 and G550, the Falcon 2000 and G450, the Challenger 300 and 350, the Global Express, the Global 5000, 6000, and the Global 7500. When developments on new aircrafts start, Starlink engineering will update the list.
