Depending on who you ask – and I asked several people at at Aircraft Interiors Expo 2024 last month – ESAs are the best way forward for inflight connectivity, or a compromise that come up short for airlines.
phased array
Gilat to acquire Stellar Blu
Gilat will acquire ESA-maker Stellar Blu, continuing the consolidation trend in the inflight connectivity world.
Viasat goes multi-orbit for maritime with NexusWave
Multi-orbit, multi-band connectivity has come to the Viasat ecosystem. Maritime is up first, setting the stage for what the aero version might look like.
Intelsat’s CR7 completes certification flights, returns home
After six weeks in Texas the Intelsat CR7 flying test bed is back home, suggesting the certification work for its new LEO/GEO hybrid solution is ready for prime time.
Back in the air: Intelsat’s CR7 test plane flying with production ESA on board
Intelsat’s CRJ 700 returned to the skies on Sunday with the production ready-version of the Stellar Blu Sidewinder terminal installed, enabling certification of the kit for access to both GEO and LEO satellite networks.
Stellar Blu Sidewinder terminal certification slips, production ramps up
Certification timing slipped a bit for the Stellar Blu terminal, leaving Intelsat waiting for installation on its test aircraft. But no one seems to be worried yet.
Fusion for the future
Signing Delta Air Lines last November as its first airline for inflight internet service was a big win for Hughes. The company’s next move might be even bigger, with a plan to press its Fusion architecture into service.
Lufthansa Technik to provide radomes for Hanwha Phasor ESAs
Hanwha Phasor has high hopes for its aero ESA product, set to enter the market next year. It will support that with a new radome designed, developed, and manufactured by Lufthansa Technik under a multi-year deal announced today.
Starlink flying on SpaceX’s new 737-800
SpaceX has a new private jet, and it appears to be flying with the Starlink inflight internet services on board.
Dragging the competition
Bolting a radome atop an aircraft means more weight, more drag, more fuel burn, and higher emissions. Those are all things airlines typically try to minimize. Which makes some recent conversations about drag differences all the more interesting.