Elon Musk-led Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (NASDAQ:SPCX) satellite internet service Starlink will help a group of scientists aboard Spain’s flag carrier airline Iberia livestream Wednesday’s Solar Eclipse.
Starlink Streaming, Dedicated Eclipse Flights
According to a report by Aerospace Global News, Iberia will fly IB1473 out of Madrid on Wednesday using an Airbus SE (OTC:EADSF) (OTC:EADSY) A321XLR aircraft. The passenger list includes scientists from the Shelios Project led by astronomer Miquel Serra-Ricart, the report said.
The airline also intends to stream the eclipse on its social channels using Starlink connectivity, which it is rolling out across more of its fleet after it announced the first flight to feature the service in June, promising 500 megabits per second speeds. The flight number nods to 1473, the birth year of astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus.
Belgium’s Brussels Airlines also confirmed flights tied to the solar eclipse as a paid experience with 100 seats and extra window access.
The flight is sold out, with ticket prices set at €299 (about $345) for a program lasting about four hours, including around two hours airborne.
It will be flying an Airbus A320 aircraft from Brussels in coordination with Urania Public Observatory, the University of Antwerp and Vrije Universiteit Brussel, the report said.
Notably, Alaska Air Group Inc. (NYSE:ALK) was earlier promoting its non-stop service between Seattle and Reykjavík in Iceland as a way for passengers to enjoy the solar eclipse on August 12, expected to be seen from Europe and North Atlantic regions.
Charter Flights
Demand is also being seen from charter operators, as Belgian observatory Urania, in collaboration with European private jet operator ASL Group, arranged a Wednesday departure from Liège Airport using an Embraer ERJ135 jet. Capacity for that flight was capped at 30 passengers, with bookings priced at €799 (approximately $922) per person.
From the U.K., Air Charter Service marketed a same-day Wednesday charter from London Stansted priced at £899 (about $1215) per person, the report said.
NASA is also conducting its own airborne effort using a WB-57 high-altitude research aircraft that can follow the Moon’s shadow to extend observation time.
Starlink on Flights
Starlink has made deals with several airlines to offer its services on board flights, with CEO Elon Musk saying that the service would also be making its way to American Airlines Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:AAL) after it had secured deals with companies like United Airlines Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:UAL) and Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE:LUV), among others.
However, in-flight Wi-Fi turned into a problem recently for Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE:DAL) after hackers allegedly set up a fake wi-fi network on board an Atlanta-bound flight.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by a Benzinga editor.
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