SpaceX, the rocket company owned by Elon Musk, has denied media reports suggesting that its Starlink satellite unit intends to take over any Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) telecommunications contract. On Wednesday, SpaceX clarified that Starlink’s role is to potentially serve as a partial solution to the FAA’s aging system.
“Starlink is a possible partial fix to an aging system. There is no effort or intent for Starlink to ‘take over’ any existing contract,” SpaceX stated on X (formerly Twitter). The company further explained that it is working alongside L3Harris Technologies and the FAA to explore how Starlink could enhance aviation safety by upgrading infrastructure.
The FAA confirmed it is testing Starlink systems at various sites as part of a broader effort to modernize the U.S. air traffic control infrastructure, which has been deemed outdated. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has warned that about one-third of the FAA’s air traffic control systems are unsustainable and in need of urgent replacement.
The FAA emphasized that it is testing Starlink and other technologies through its Telecommunications Infrastructure program, managed under a contract with L3Harris. While reports have suggested that Starlink could potentially replace Verizon’s existing $2.4 billion contract, the FAA has stated that no decision on the contract’s future has been made yet.
The testing of Starlink at FAA facilities, including those in Alaska, Oklahoma City, and Atlantic City, is part of efforts to improve communication systems and restore reliable access to weather information for pilots.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy also highlighted that while Starlink could be a part of the solution, it is not the sole answer to the FAA’s modernization needs.