SpaceX Is Working to Bring Starlink to School Buses
SpaceX is aiming to expand itss satellite internet service Starlink to school buses in the US.
The company mentioned the effort in a filing(Opens in a new window) with the Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday. “Now, in collaboration with school districts, SpaceX is piloting projects in rural areas of the country to support students traveling on long bus routes with the goal of turning ‘ride time to connected time,’” the filing says.
SpaceX is currently working to bring Starlink to school bus routes that “are more than 60 minutes each way and are predominantly inaccessible to other mobile broadband services.”
The company adds: “Moreover, the overwhelming majority of the participating students will not have access to high-speed broadband at home. Connecting school buses will afford students the ability to optimize their commute time for necessary educational internet use, as well as time spent with family and friends or recreational activities.”
The pilot projects come after the FCC in June cleared the company to begin bringing Starlink to moving vehicles, including cars, planes, and boats. It’s since been deploying a high-performance dish that can deliver high-speed broadband on cruise ships and commercial jets.
SpaceX sent the filing to the FCC to urge the Commission to approve federal funding to support outfitting school buses with Wi-Fi access points. Back in May, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced a proposal(Opens in a new window) to do just that by taking money from the Commission’s E-Rate program, which is focused on bringing affordable broadband to schools and libraries.
The Commission has received "many requests" over the years to allocate the funding to school buses. “E-rate program funding
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