SpaceX’s Starlink Internet service from space is already available to boats, airplanes, airships, Amazonian villages and rural homes in over 75 countries – now it’s coming to backpackers.
The new compact DC-powered Starlink Mini is about the size of a fat laptop and integrates the Wi-Fi router right inside the dish. And despite using less power than other Starlink terminals, it can still deliver speeds of over 100 Mbps.
“This product is going to change the world,” the SpaceX CEO claimed Elon Musk at Xsaying it took less than five minutes to set up.
Notably, the Mini kit only consumes 20-40W on average compared to the 33-62W we measured just two years ago with a Standard Actuated dish and separate AC-powered Wi-Fi router. That means you can power the Mini dish for two to three hours from something like an Anker Prime 27,650 mAh (99.54 Wh) power bank, or just over an hour with smaller 10,000 mAh portable batteries ( 40 Wh) for which you probably already have. Requires a USB-C PD power source with a minimum rating of 100W (20V/5A).
The mini dish measures 11.75 x 10.2 x 1.45 inches (298.5 x 259 x 38.5 mm) and weighs only 2.43 pounds (1.1 kg) or 3.37 pounds (1.53 kg) with 49.2 ft (15 m) DC sustain. It has an IP67 rating which means it’s protected against dust and rain, including short periods of submersion in water.
In the US, the Starlink Mini is an add-on for Residential plans — at least for now. The Mini Kit costs $599, which is $100 more than the standard dish, and it will cost an additional $30 per month to add Mini Roam service to the existing $120 Residential plan. This gives Starlink Mini users up to 50GB of mobile data each month, with the option to buy more for $1 per GB, according to early access invitations sent to some US Starlink customers.
While the Starlink Mini is new to the US, a Starlink support page says it’s already available in Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala and Panama, where it can be purchased with Mini Service or Mobile – Regional Service plans. In those countries, there are no data or speed limits to use the Mini, and driving and ocean use are not allowed. SpaceX says it will expand to more markets over time.
“Our goal is to lower the price of Starlink, especially for those around the world where connectivity has been unaffordable or completely unavailable,” says the Starlink support page. “In high usage regions, such as the US, where Starlink Mini places additional demands on the satellite network, we are offering a limited number of Starlink Mini Kits to start at a higher price.”
As a stand-alone service, Starlink Mini can be transformative for anyone who needs a cheap, sharable internet service that uses DC battery power efficiently. These include families depending on a cobblestone solar generator for power, a squad of soldiers trying to fight off an invasion, or just bike mechanics and earth taking the road less traveled.
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Image Source : www.theverge.com