The FAA has approved Gulfstream Aerospace’s supplemental type certificate (STC) for installation of a SpaceX Starlink satcom system on the G650/650ER. This STC expands the options for G650/650ER owners and enables installation of a Starlink system by Gulfstream service centers. Before this STC, the only available option was installation by a Starlink dealer using the Nextant Aerospace G650 STC that was issued in August 2023.
Starlink's electronically steered antenna mounts on top of the G650/650ER fuselage above the emergency exit windows over the wing. The antenna weighs about 48 pounds and measures 39 inches long and 31 inches wide. At the centerline of the fuselage, the antenna is about 1.3 inches tall and, at the antenna sides, is about three inches.
Retail price of a Starlink system is $150,000 and that includes the antenna, power supply unit, two wireless access points, and wiring harness. Service prices range from $2,000 per month for 20 GB (plus $100 per GB additional) to $10,000 per month for unlimited. Coverage via Starlink’s low-earth-orbit network is worldwide, and download speeds range from 40 to 220 Mbps.
Gulfstream is developing Starlink STCs for other models, including the G800, G700, G600, G500, G400, G280, GIV, GIV-X/G450, GV, and GV-SP/G550.
“Starlink is an offering that we know is important to operators,” said Derek Zimmerman, president of Gulfstream customer support. “Our team has invested extensive time and resources preparing for this certification, and we are well-positioned across our service network to provide a seamless installation. Having the capability to install this connectivity upgrade at our own facilities, in the hands of our trusted team of experts, is part of our ongoing commitment to our customers.”