Musk's SpaceX confirms lease agreement with US aviation administration for 'safety upgrades'

​​​​​​​By Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) - SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, has confirmed a lease agreement with the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to provide Starlink satellite internet kits for upgrades in aviation safety.

The collaboration, announced Wednesday, aims to modernize the FAA’s aging telecommunications infrastructure and enhance aviation safety, particularly in remote areas like Alaska, where reliable weather information for aviation has long been a challenge.

“SpaceX is working in coordination with L3Harris—the prime contractor for the FAA’s telecommunications infrastructure—and the FAA to test the use of Starlink as one piece of the infrastructure upgrades so badly needed,” the company wrote on X.

The agreement includes providing Starlink kits and services free of charge during the testing phase, with potential long-term upgrades under discussion.

The announcement comes amid media reports that Starlink could replace Verizon’s $2.4 billion contract with the FAA. Musk's rocket company denied the reports, stating: “Starlink is a possible partial fix to an aging system. There is no effort or intent for Starlink to ‘take over’ any existing contract.”

The FAA said in February that it is testing Starlink terminals at its Atlantic City, New Jersey facility and in Alaska, as part of efforts to address longstanding reliability issues.

L3Harris, the current operator of the FAA’s telecommunications infrastructure, emphasized its commitment to modernization, stating it is working with multiple vendors, including SpaceX, to upgrade the system, which currently boasts 99.99971% reliability.

The partnership has raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest, given Musk’s close ties to the administration of Donald Trump and his role in advocating for federal budget reductions.