Satellite internet service from SpaceX, Starlink, will soon be available on select aircraft with the official launch of Starlink Aviation in the next year. The announcement was made by the company itself, which plans to offer internet speeds of up to 350 Mbps for each aircraft equipped with the technology. The speed will allow “activities that demand a high data rate”, such as video calls and online games. 2z2c55
The speed represents a huge leap from the Wi-Fi connections offered on board today. On average, the system used today (air-ground) reaches about 10 Mbps per flight and only works while the aircraft is flying over the Earth. Satellite systems are able to offer between 30 Mbps and 100 Mbps. However, this connection fee is for each connected aircraft, so actual speeds may vary depending on the number of engers using the internet on each flight.
According to SpaceX, internet connections will be available globally throughout taxi, takeoff, land and water flight and landing, with latency of less than 20ms. “As the satellites are moving in low earth orbit, there are always satellites above or close by to provide a strong signal in high latitudes and polar regions – unlike geostationary satellites”, informs the company.
Expected to start work as early as 2023, the service will find strong competitors such as Viasat and Intelstat. The main differentiator of Musk's internet, however, is its low latency, which is a consequence of the system adopted. As it comes from a constellation of small satellites in low orbit, which perform a complete return to the planet with a duration between 90 and 120 minutes, it is possible to achieve a lower latency than other alternatives available on the market today.
Tests have already been carried out 1i29k
A few weeks ago, the efficiency of the Starlink was put to the test during a flight on a commercial airliner JSX Air, which performed the flight between Burbank and San José (California). During testing, the technology was able to provide speeds that exceed 100 Mbps. The quality is more than enough to watch videos on streaming platforms or even to participate in video conferences. The test was validated by the application of Ookla, reference in the segment.
The test, however, was carried out simulating about 30 engers on board the aircraft. Thus, it is still not possible to anticipate how it would behave in situations with more engers, which is essential, since large aircraft carry up to 300 people or more at the same time. Company spokespersons, however, say they are working to circumvent this limitation.
Beyond the JSX Air, Hawaiian Airlines also closed a partnership with SpaceX in April this year. With the implementation of the technology in the fleet of another airline, those involved hope that it will be easier to achieve a breakthrough, in order to demonstrate that the internet connection is functional, and can be interesting for other customers in the segment. Furthermore, it was reported that the Airbus A330-200 and A321-200neo will be equipped with technology from Elon Musk's company, as well as the Boeing 787-9.
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Source: The Verge.
