The Gogo Galileo testbed is ready to fly. The company announced the successful installation of the HDX antenna on a Challenger 300 by the Duncan Aviation-Houston Satellite team, moving the program a step closer to service. The Challenger 300 was chosen as the testing platform more than a year ago, while Gogo’s plans to launch LEO-based inflight internet service, powered by the OneWeb (now Eutelsat) constellation was announced in 2022.
The HDX terminal is the smaller of two options Gogo is planning for the Galileo offering. It is a half-duplex antenna ideally suited for smaller aircraft. The FDX (full duplex) option is twice the size and expected to follow several months after the HDX.
Gogo shared a series of photos showing the antenna, produced for Gogo by Hughes Networks under an exclusive business aviation contract, being installed on the aircraft. That exclusivity covers a 10 year term and includes a commitment from Gogo to purchase $170 million in hardware and support services over the first seven years of the deal.
Gogo CEO Oakleigh Thorne most recently suggested HDX terminals will start shipping in Q4, but that STCs are not expected until Q1 2025. He also suggested service revenue from the program will “not really kick in until 2026.”
Although the published images have removed the details, it appears the aircraft may be N52JT, based on the paint scheme. That registration has been used by Gogo in the past for testing.
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