What appears to be a new, radically miniaturized version of SpaceX’s Starlink internet dish. If Elon’s own teases are to be believed, Starlink Mini will cost half as much and offer up to 100Mbps portable connectivity that fits in a backpack.
The mini Starlink madness began after engineer Oleg Kutkov uncovered imagery of a significantly smaller Starlink user terminal, complete with model numbers and FCC labels. Cue the ensuing frenzy, with Elon himself fanning the flames by claiming he’s already testing the supposedly ultra-portable device.
“I just set it up right now and am writing this post through space,” boasted in an X posts. “Took less than 5 mins. Easily carried in a backpack. This product will change the world.”
In another X posts, Elon added that Starlink Mini will indeed be “about half the price of the standard dish to buy and monthly subscription, but you can still watch multiple 4K video streams simultaneously! 23ms latency.”
The original Starlink dishes were already pretty svelte at roughly 23 inches wide. But if this Mini leak is legitimate, we’re talking a staggeringly compact 11.4 x 9.8 inch form factor that achieves new levels of portability for satellite broadband.
Starlink as we know it relies on a growing constellation of SpaceX satellites beaming Internet down to Earth. Standard user terminals offer fast speeds around 300Mbps on average for a $499-$599 upfront cost plus $120 monthly subscriptions.
Assuming Elon claims hold true, Starlink Mini would slash those costs roughly in half while still delivering respectable 100Mbps performance suitable for HD streaming and most online activities. At $250 for the hardware plus $60 monthly fees, it’s a potential game-changer for affordable mobile broadband anywhere under SpaceX’s satellite umbrella.
Elon says the miniature Starlink dish will initially roll out in “select areas” within months before seeing wider availability. He also teased Starlink Mini as “a great low-cost option for a good backup Internet connection if your landline goes out.”
Portable, low-cost broadband that outperforms cellular in many rural regions? Strap in, because Starlink Mini sounds like it could give the telecom industry a run for its money once more details emerge.