Science

SpaceX moves to beam Starlink internet into trucks, boats, and aircraft

A train of Starlink satellites in low-Earth orbit passes over Uruguay. SpaceX is asking the FCC for approval to beam Starlink internet into moving vehicles. | Photo by Mariana Suarez / AFP via Getty ImagesSpaceX is seeking regulatory approval to connect its rapidly growing network of internet-beaming Starlink satellites to cars, trucks, shipping boats, and aircraft. The request, filed last Friday with the Federal Communications Commission, marks SpaceX’s biggest step yet toward connecting Starlink to the automotive sector, a potentially lucrative line of business that would expand the company’s current stationary offerings from rural homes.
The March 5th FCC filing asked for “a blanket license authorizing operation” of Starlink terminals on so-called Earth Stations in Motion — an umbrella term for cars, trucks, maritime vessels, and aircraft. “No longer are users willing to forego connectivity while on the move, whether driving a truck…

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