%SpaceX satellite-based internet service called %Starlink has been given the greenlight to expand its service to airplanes, ships, and some motor vehicles.
The approval from regulators enables privately held SpaceX to expand its customer base, which to date has been focused exclusively on providing internet service to homes in rural and remote areas that are not serviced by traditional ground-based internet.
SpaceX is likely to begin expansion of its Starlink satellite internet with commercial airlines, possibly starting with %HawaiianAirlines ($HA), which signed a deal with SpaceX in April of this year saying it planned to bring Starlink to some of its aircraft.
The regulatory approval from the Federal Communications Commission (%FCC) grants SpaceX the ability to expand its service to trains, ships, and recreational vehicles (RVs), opening multiple new customers for the company.
Traditionally, airlines, ships and trains have relied on satellites in geosynchronous orbit, a band of orbit that lies more than 22,000 miles above the Earth.
SpaceX’s Starlink system takes a different approach to beaming internet from space by putting thousands of satellites in low-Earth orbit, or just a few hundred miles off the ground. The company says this offers less lag times for internet users.
SpaceX has already started rolling out Starlink to RVs at a cost of $135 U.S. per month.
However, Starlink internet access is unlikely to be available to most cars. SpaceX chief executive officer (CEO) %ElonMusk has said that Starlink’s terminal is too big for the average car, adding that “This is for aircraft, ships, large trucks and RVs.”