Elon Musk’s SpaceX is stepping into US air traffic control. According to Bloomberg, the company is sending 4,000 Starlink satellite terminals to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to help upgrade its ageing airspace network.
The move could clash with Verizon, which won a $2 billion contract in 2023 to handle the upgrade.
One Starlink terminal is already being tested in New Jersey, with more in Alaska.
Musk claims Verizon’s system is failing and endangering travellers, but the deal raises conflict-of-interest concerns, as the FAA also regulates SpaceX.
With Trump backing air traffic control changes, Musk’s influence in government contracts is growing fast. What happens to Verizon’s deal? That’s still unclear.