Starlink

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.

Small satellites have been moving off dedicated small launch vehicles and increasingly turning to shared rides on medium- and heavy-lift rockets, an analysis of the industry shows.

Starlink plans to expand beyond 100,000 satellites with V3 designs, boosting bandwidth 100 times to meet AI and robotics data demands.

SpaceX will drastically pick up the pace of Starship flights, CEO Elon Musk says.

A successful flight and soft landing put the Starship on the cusp of orbital flight.

SpaceX released images taken by Starlink Version 3 (V3) satellites that conducted 20-min. inflight demonstrations as part of the July 24 Starship-Super Heavy flight test.

As part of the upcoming Artemis III flight test, NASA plans to outfit its crewed Orion spacecraft with two mini lasers to connect with SpaceX’s Starlink network.

Cebu Pacific Air Plans Starlink Rollout From 2027

Indigo Partners portfolio carriers plan to install SpaceX satellite connectivity across more than 1,000 aircraft.

Cebu Pacific Air plans to deploy Starlink connectivity across its fleet starting in 2027 for passenger Wi-Fi and operational communications.

SpaceX doubles Starlink pricing for business aviation with new regional restrictions and global unlimited plan at $20,000 per month.

As satellites multiply and spacecraft become more maneuverable, concerns grow that space lacks the equivalent of air traffic control.

The most outsize effects from SpaceX’s public debut could be in the same industry it already transformed.

The Federal Communications Commission granted Amazon a limited, conditional waiver of its requirement to meet a 50% deployment milestone for the company’s Leo broadband-internet constellation.

Wizz Air plans to roll out Starlink onboard Wi-Fi from 2027, which will make it the first big European LCC group to offer inflight connectivity.

Muon Space has unveiled plans to develop Condor-Ultra, a flat-packing spacecraft sized to fill the payload fairing of SpaceX’s Starship launch vehicle.