United Airlines and SpaceX to Revolutionize Inflight Connectivity with Starlink

In a significant development for the aviation industry, United Airlines signed a partnership with SpaceX to provide its fleet with Starlink, an advanced satellite Internet service. This represents the largest agreement of its kind and is set to establish a new standard for in-flight connectivity.

The contract stipulates the integration of Starlink satellite connectivity services on more than 1000 aircraft in United’s fleet. With Starlink, United’s passengers will have access to free high-speed and low-latency internet service throughout the flight, without the interruptions that are characteristic of current in-flight connectivity solutions.

“Everything you can do on the ground, you’ll soon be able to do onboard a United plane at 35000 feet, just about anywhere in the world”

— Scott Kirby, CEO of United Airlines

Testing will begin in early 2025 with the first passenger flights expected later next year. 

The connection will be available for use on both passengers’ personal devices, such as smartphones and laptops, and on seat screens. Starlink will provide access to a range of online services, including live streaming, online gaming, and tools for workplace productivity.

The implementation of Starlink will facilitate connectivity over even the most challenging routes, including those over oceans and polar regions, where onboard connectivity has historically been a significant challenge.

Starlink Technology

In just five years since its inaugural launches, Starlink has rapidly expanded its satellite constellation, which now comprises over 6000 units, making it the largest in history.

This growth has been made possible by a series of Falcon 9 reusable rocket launches, which have enabled the company to achieve its ambitious goal of providing global connectivity.

Currently, the Starlink network utilizes a constellation of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites interconnected via laser links, with the capacity to transfer over 10 petabytes of data per day.

The entire network contains more than 9000 lasers, each of which is capable of sustaining a 100 Gbps connection, covering distances exceeding 5000 kilometers with a reliability of 99.99%.

This enables transmission speeds for airplane passengers of up to 220 Mbps and latency below 99 ms. These figures illustrate the revolutionary potential of Starlink to transform the inflight experience.

Collaborations and industry challenges

This agreement represents the latest in a series of partnerships formed by SpaceX with major airlines, including Qatar Airways, JSX, Hawaiian Airlines, AirBaltic, and Air New Zealand. 

However, some of these collaborations have encountered challenges related to regulatory approvals and the technical certifications necessary for the installation of the technology on aircraft.

Hawaiian Airlines and airBaltic, for instance, had to postpone the implementation of Starlink due to delays in certifications from aviation authorities.

Potential future developments: Overture and supersonic flight

Additionally, in the coming years, another transformative technology may emerge alongside Starlink: the supersonic flight. Indeed, United Airlines has placed an order for 15 Boom Overture aircraft, which are anticipated to become operational in 2029.

These planes, expected to fly at a speed of Mach 1.7, will dramatically reduce flight times, connecting cities such as New York and London in less than four hours.

Starlink could be integrated into these supersonic aircraft, providing high-quality internet connectivity at speeds exceeding the speed of sound.

Through this collaboration with SpaceX, and subsequently with Boom Supersonic, United is about to revolutionize the in-flight experience.

Free, high-speed internet will soon be available throughout the entire flight, forever changing how we experience air travel. This marks a turning point in aviation, where staying connected will become the norm, even at 10000 meters.

_{*Cover image credits: United Arlines}