Gogo Could Start LEO In-Flight Connectivity Next Month

Gogo's Galileo satellite connectivity service and its 5G air-to-ground connectivity service are on the verge of hitting the market, CEO Oakleigh Thorne told analysts Tuesday as it announced Q3 results. He said recent FAA certification means Gogo could potentially ship its HDX low earth orbit satellite terminal commercially to customers by year's end, targeting smaller and mid-size aircraft. It said the 5G chip for receivers should ship in Q2 2025. The HDX and faster FDX "are critical" to Gogo competing with SpaceX, William Blair's Louie DiPalma noted Tuesday. Galileo service "is critical to preserving the competitive positioning and capturing a portion of the untapped 14,000 business jets registered outside the U.S. that do not have broadband connectivity," DiPalma said. Thorne said Gogo expects it will close on Satcom Direct (see 2409300065) by year's end. Gogo is collaborating with OneWeb on satellite connectivity.