SpaceX will be able to offer Starlink satellite Internet to moving vehicles, subject to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) clearance.
The move, originally reported by CNBC , is expected to be a big win for the Elon Musk -led company and could also be great news for consumers, who may soon have constant access to high-speed Internet.
In the words of Tom Sullivan , head of the FCC’s international office:
People will be able to have high-speed internet access whether they are driving a RV across the country, moving a freighter from Europe to a US port or while on a domestic or international flight.
Starlink , launched in 2019, offers satellite internet access to 36 countries via a network of low-orbit satellites, although the company’s service is not as fast as conventional broadband, the latest tests show that the gap is closing. reducing, with Starlink’s average download speed reaching 90.55 Mbps in the United States.
SpaceX has already started some new activities following the latest authorization and according to the CNBC report, the company has already signed agreements with Hawaiian Airlines and the semi-private charter company JSX, in addition SpaceX says it has already launched 2,700 satellites into space and to having registered 400,000 subscribers to its service. The FCC’s decision, however, is not without reservations. Starlink has agreed to “accept any interference received from both current and future authorized services” and that any further investment in the company “will assume the risk that transactions may be subject to additional conditions or requirements”.
For example, a geomagnetic storm caused by solar activity sadly wiped out SpaceX’s 40 Starlink satellites earlier this year. The ongoing geopolitical situation could also cause problems for the satellite network and SpaceX chief Elon Musk has warned the Ukrainian government and its people that using his tools to stay connected to the internet could make them a major target for Russian missile attacks. .
- Your flights could soon benefit from high-speed internet, courtesy of Elon Musk (TechRadar)
