Why is this important: If bulky antennas and high fees have you hesitant to sign up for Starlink’s satellite internet service, check out the company’s latest innovation: SpaceX has unveiled Starlink Mini, a compact, travel-friendly antenna that could make portable internet access available to more people than ever before.
More details started to emerge after some official images of the small satellites were released on social media over the weekend. Ukrainian engineer Oleg Kutkov posted photos and shared internal documents about Starlink Mini’s recent FCC certification. Shortly after, a surprise tweet from Elon Musk caught people’s attention.
Starlink Mini official specifications:
WiFi 5 (sorry!) 3 x 3 MU-MIMO.
One Ethernet port with rubber plug.
Power Input: 12-48 V, Max 60W, Barrel
Jack.
USB-C to barrel jack cable (sold separately).
1.10 kg (2.43 lbs) without stand.
Comes with kickstand and pipe adapter. pic.twitter.com/MPfVuuins2– Oleg Kutkovðºð¦ (@olegkutkov) June 18, 2024
In response to the quoted post, the SpaceX CEO said: [the dish] The app, titled “Set Up Now,” took just five minutes to complete, and includes screenshots showing fast download speeds of 100Mbps and excellent latency of 23ms (low enough for seamless cloud gaming).
I’m setting this up now and writing this post from space.
It took me less than 5 minutes and it’s easy to carry in a backpack.
This product will change the world.
-Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 17, 2024
As FCC documents reveal, that’s pretty impressive for a satellite that’s just 11.4 x 9.8 inches, roughly the size of a small laptop. And it’s less than half the size of Starlink’s original 23-inch satellites. There’s no word on the exact weight, but it’s definitely designed with portability in mind.
Starlink Mini supports the latest WiFi 6 standard, 3×3 MIMO, and 802.11ax on both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands for improved speeds and range, and there’s also an Ethernet port if you prefer a wired connection.
The real game-changer is the price: The current Starlink kit costs $599 for new customers, but Musk said the Mini will be priced at “about half that,” or less than $299, making Starlink a much more viable option for families on a budget or those looking for a portable internet solution while traveling, camping, or working remotely.
Unfortunately, the Mini sacrifices a bit of performance compared to full-size antennas: The 100Mbps speeds Musk showed off are fast enough for HD streaming, video calling, and casual gaming, but they’re a significant drop off compared to the 200Mbps-plus you get with the original Starlink kit.
Musk didn’t say when Starlink Mini might be released, but Kutkov speculated that it could arrive within the next month or two.
