FAA tests Starlink terminals as Musk claims Verizon tech is ‘not working’

The Federal Aviation Administration has started testing the use of SpaceX Starlink satellite internet terminals in the national airspace system, nearly two years after Verizon was awarded a $2 billion contract to perform similar work. SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk claimed on his social media platform X that the Verizon system “is not working and so is putting air travelers at serious risk.” A spokesperson for Verizon didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. The news, first reported by Bloomberg, comes just a few weeks after new U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Musk and his so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” were going to help “upgrade” the air traffic control system. The FAA explained in a statement Monday that Alaska has long had issues with reliable weather information for the aviation community. “The 2024 FAA Reauthorization request the FAA to fix telecommunications connections to address those needs,” the statement posted on X reads. “T ... Read full article.