SpaceX has launched a new compact satellite internet antenna called Starlink Mini. The device is designed for users on the go and can fit in a backpack. The Starlink Mini measures about 12 inches by 10 inches by 1.5 inches and weighs around 2.5 pounds, which is 60% lighter than the company’s standard Starlink dish.
The Starlink Mini kit includes a built-in Wi-Fi router, a kickstand, a pipe adapter, a power supply, and a cord with a USB-C connector on one end and a barrel jack on the other. The device consumes less power than the standard version and can download speeds over 100 Mbps. SpaceX offers a limited number of Starlink Mini antennas for $599 each in an early access release.
In addition to the upfront hardware cost, the service for a Starlink Mini is $150 per month, which includes the $120 per month residential cost and an additional $30 per month for the “Mini Roam” service.
Compact Starlink: Connectivity on the go
The add-on service caps at 50 gigabytes of data per month, and Starlink charges $1 per gigabyte for additional data.
SpaceX’s founder and CEO, Elon Musk, stated that the Starlink Mini kit took less than five minutes to set up. ” Musk wrote in a June 16 post on social media, this product will change the world. The company aims to reduce the price of Starlink for those around the world where connectivity has been unaffordable or completely unavailable.
However, in regions with high usage, where Starlink Mini places additional demand on the satellite network, SpaceX is offering a limited number of the kits at the current price. The first Starlink Minis are expected to arrive sometime in July. The Starlink network has steadily expanded since the first satellites launched in 2019, with more than 6,000 operational Starlink satellites now connecting more than three million customers across 100 countries to the company’s satellite internet service.
