Starlink

Danish satellite maker GomSpace says it has deployed a satellite in partnership with Ukraine’s Himera as a test asset to provide Ukraine an independent communications network.

EasyJet plans to equip its Airbus fleet with Starlink Wi-Fi from 2027, targeting business and leisure travelers with inflight connectivity.

Iceye and Nokia intend to supply Ukraine with secure satcom capabilities, the companies announced Oct. 22, as Kyiv contends with Starshield disruptions.

Aviation Week editors Michael Bruno and Bill Carey discuss the evolving business aviation in-flight connectivity market. Gogo and Starlink are among the service providers that now provide high-speed capacity for conversations, data downloads, video streaming, and other online applications.

Southwest plans to equip its entire fleet, including older 737-700s, with Starlink Wi-Fi by fall 2027, becoming the first major U.S. carrier to do so.

Ukraine will use a €2.86 billion ($3.2 billion) tranche from its European Commission support loan to acquire more drones, air defense systems, missiles and equipment.

Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.

American Airlines will expand its deployment of Starlink, broadening a selection previously limited to Airbus aircraft to its entire mainline fleet.

The FCC has cleared SpaceX to operate a 15,000-member satellite constellation to provide direct-to-device services.

Royal Air Maroc will become Africa's first airline to offer Starlink internet onboard, rolling out the service across 41 aircraft starting in early 2027.

Starlink commands the market as Gogo enters the surging low-Earth-orbit connectivity space.

Space entrepreneur Walt Anderson aims to deploy airships to provide affordable telecommunications to underserved markets in Southeast Asia, Africa or the Caribbean.

After a decade in development, SpaceX’s Starship-Super Heavy transport reaches orbit for a test run.

Alaska Air Group has now outfitted more than 40% of its fleet with Starlink Wi-Fi.

VietJet Air has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Starlink to install high-speed Wi-Fi systems on 120 existing and future aircraft.

SpaceX on Sept. 18 backed off plans to launch its first orbital Starship-Super Heavy flight test until Sept. 28, six days later than previously targeted.

Aspiring direct-to-device market players are gathering radio-frequency spectrum and laying out strategies, but they have yet to solve regulatory, technical and pricing problems.

SpaceX is targeting Sept 22 for launch of its first orbital Starship-Super Heavy flight test, with a targeted mission duration of nearly 10 hr.

Business aviation sees advancements in connectivity, eVTOL orders and approvals as manufacturers push timelines and expand facilities.

Finland Urges Musk To Allow Starlink Use Against Russia

Korean Air and Asiana will launch free Starlink Wi-Fi on 14 aircraft starting Sept. 15, with fleetwide installation planned by the end of 2027.

Copa Airlines expects to complete fleet-wide Starlink installations in the second quarter of 2027; it will be the first Latin American carrier to offer the service.

Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.

Finland’s President Alexander Stubb urged SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to loosen restrictions on Ukraine’s use of the company’s Starlink service in its battle against Russia.

SpaceX plans to begin construction next year on a massive new spaceport in Louisiana that includes 10 launch and landing complexes for its Starship-Super Heavy launch system.