SpaceX recently launched a smaller version of its Starlink antennas, marketed as a portable option for satellite internet users. The “Starlink Mini,” as detailed in a customer email obtained by CNBC, is a lightweight, backpack-friendly device designed to provide high-speed, low-latency internet access on the move.
A limited early access release offers the Starlink Mini antennas for $599 USD each. This is $100 more than the standard “Residential” antenna. SpaceX aims to lower the price in the future. “Our goal is to reduce the price of Starlink, especially for those around the world where connectivity has been unaffordable or completely unavailable,” SpaceX stated in the email.
The service cost for Starlink Mini is $150 per month, which includes a $30 monthly bundle on top of the $120 Residential service fee. The “Mini Roam” service allows usage anywhere in the United States but has a 50 gigabyte monthly data cap, with additional data costing $1 per gigabyte.
The Starlink Mini antenna is about the size of a laptop, measuring approximately 12 inches by 10 inches by 1.5 inches, and weighing just over two pounds. It is 63% lighter than the standard Starlink dish and features a built-in WiFi router, lower power consumption, and a DC power input.
The device supports maximum download speeds over 100 megabits per second. It is designed to fit in a backpack, being only slightly larger than a piece of paper, and can operate in temperatures ranging from -30°C to 50°C (-22°F to 122°F). Deliveries for the Starlink Mini are set to start in July.
The Mini Roam service, which costs an additional $30 per month, offers 50GB of mobile data usable anywhere in the United States, with extra data available at $1 per gigabyte. The router includes a built-in bypass mode, and SpaceX is ramping up production to make the Mini available in international markets soon.
The email did not specify when Starlink Mini deliveries would begin. However, Michael Nicolls, Vice President of Starlink Engineering, noted on social media that the company is increasing production and that the Mini will be available internationally soon. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk also highlighted on Monday that setting up a Starlink Mini takes less than five minutes, calling the product transformative.
Check out Chad Gibbs, a SpaceX employee working at Starlink showing how quick it is to setup the Starlink Mini in just minutes to get download speeds of 180 Mbps:
@michaelnicollsx – I just set up a fresh mini. About two minutes from box to 180Mbps pic.twitter.com/pzjpdz0fjK
— Chad Gibbs (@chadgibbs88) June 21, 2024
Since launching the Starlink service in 2020, SpaceX has expanded its network and product offerings. There are approximately 6,000 Starlink satellites in orbit, connecting over 3 million customers across 100 countries.
