Space X to beam Starlink Internet to vehicles, aircraft and ships

SpaceX plans to give vehicles internet by beaming service from its Starlink satellites, The Independent reports, citing new filings.

Elon Musk’s space company wrote in filings to the United States’ Federal Communications Commission that it “seeks authority to deploy and operate these earth stations as VMES throughout the United States and its territories ... in the territorial waters of the United States and throughout international waters worldwide, and ... on US-registered aircraft operating worldwide and non-U.S.-registered aircraft operating in U.S. airspace”

The filing goes on to assert that it would serve the public interest by expanding “the range of broadband capabilities available to moving vehicles throughout the United States and to moving vessels and aircraft worldwide”, which it suggests is urgent because of “escalating requirements for speed, capacity, and reliability and ongoing adaptations for usage” with regards to internet use.

Consumers are apparently unwilling to give up internet connectivity while travelling, it concludes, with the addition promoting competition for “in-motion broadband services”.

Mr Musk later clarified on Twitter, however, that this does not mean Tesla vehicles will be connected in this way.

“Not connecting Tesla cars to Starlink, as our terminal is much too big”, the CEO tweeted. “This is for aircraft, ships, large trucks [and] RVs.”

The terminals applied to vehicles will be slightly different to those available to customers, with specialised mountings, and limited communication to certain SpaceX satellites.