Elon Musk announced on Twitter that SpaceX’s Starlink service exceeded 69.420 active users this week. Considering Starlink hit 10,000 users in February, the almost seven-time growth is encouraging for the company.
Starlink simultaneously active users just exceeded the strategically important threshold of 69,420 last night!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 25, 2021
Starlink is still in Beta, which makes these number even more impressive. The company noted that all 72 orbital planes of the system would activate at the end of the summer. With the entire system up and active, global coverage should be possible. However, polar access is still to come and should go live in the next six to eight months.
In addition, Musk noted that Starlink’s internet services for airlines are still in the works. SpaceX is focusing on obtaining approvals for the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 before moving on to testing on the Gulfstream. The reason for this is quite simple; there are more people to serve on the traditional commercial airlines than private planes at the moment.
Schedule driver there is regulatory approval. Has to be certified for each aircraft type. Focusing on 737 & A320, as those serve most number of people, with development testing on Gulfstream.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 25, 2021
It is not clear how many of the over 69,420 active users are in Canada, but the internet service is the talk of many rural communities. As the Big Three telecoms continue to struggle to service outside metropolitan areas, Starlink looks to be a popular option for reliable and speedy internet in rural Canada.
