Starlink’s new mini dish is set to hit the market by the end of this year.
“We’ll be introducing the Starlink Mini later this year, which can fit in a backpack,” SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said in a speech to employees on Friday.
This comes after Starlink gained approval from the Federal Communications Commission for the dish, which was said to be about the size of an Apple MacBook — smaller than SpaceX’s first-generation Starlink dish.
In one FCC filing, the Starlink Mini measures about 10 inches by 12 inches. That’s about half the size of the Starlink Standard dish, which measures about 23 inches by 15 inches.
Starlink Mini’s portability, size, and possible affordability will likely be attractive qualities to customers. In addition, the dish may use less power than the Standard dish, according to Starlink Hardware, but it likely won’t deliver the fastest internet speeds.
It’s unclear what exact date the mini dish, as well as the new Standard terminal, will go on sale and how much they will cost. Starlink’s current residential hardware costs $599, not including the $120-a- month subscription.
In July, SpaceX sent out invitations for select users to try the Wi-Fi 6-supported Gen 3 router, which comes with the Standard kit, but it would cost them $200.
SpaceX wasn’t immediately available for comment.
You can watch Musk’s full remarks here:
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