Starlink, the satellite internet service operated by SpaceX, has quietly shut down a GPS-style navigation feature that most users were unaware existed. The service, primarily designed for communications, had been capable of providing positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) services, according to a May 2025 letter to the Federal Communications Commission.
While Starlink has opted to disable this functionality for customers, researchers remain undeterred in exploring its potential as an alternative to traditional Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). The feature gained attention as GPS jamming and spoofing incidents have become more prevalent globally.
"The beauty of Starlink as a backup to GNSS is that it's such a different system—frequencies 10 times higher, bandwidths 10 to 100 times wider, power 100 to 1,000 times stronger, satellites 100 times more proliferated," said Todd Humphreys, director of the Wireless Networking and Communications Group at the University of Texas at Austin.
Starlink's extensive satellite constellation and unique technical advantages could offer a more resilient option for navigation in environments where traditional GPS is compromised. However, the company's decision to discontinue PNT access suggests a focus on its core mission of providing internet services.
Despite the shutdown, experts continue to study Starlink's potential as a supplementary or alternative navigation system, particularly in military and high-stakes scenarios where GPS reliability is critical.