Starlink will soon introduce a newer, more portable version of its satellite dish kit, aptly known as the Starlink Mini. The device was initially shared online through leaks provided by website Starlink Hardware and Ukrainian engineer Oleg Kutkov, and later confirmed by none other than Elon Musk himself, the CEO of Starlink’s parent company SpaceX, Tesla, and owner of social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
The upcoming Starlink Mini is designed to be an ultra-portable hardware that can fit in a backpack, and is touted to be an ideal companion for camping and so on. According to Starlink Hardware, its receiver measures at only 11.4 x 9.8 inches, which is significantly smaller than the existing model.
I just set it up right now and am writing this post through space.
Took less than 5 mins. Easily carried in a backpack.
This product will change the world.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 17, 2024
It is said that the Mini will feature a built-in router that supports 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands with 802.11ax and 3×3 MIMO. Despite this, an alleged leaked screenshot of Starlink’s mobile app suggests that it is compatible with Starlink mesh, therefore allowing it to wirelessly pair to compatible nodes for added coverage at a certain location. Other than that, there will be LAN ports for those who require a cabled approach.
Not long after the leaks had surfaced online, Elon Musk confirms that he is indeed testing a unit at the moment and claims that it took five minutes to set up. He also says the Starlink Mini is capable of delivering 100Mbps download and 11.5Mbps upload, with a latency of only 23ms, allowing you to watch multiple 4K streams simultaneously.
Musk further adds that the pricing and monthly subscription fee of the upcoming device would cost half the price of the existing model. Unfortunately, there’s no word on when the Starlink Mini will be officially launched just yet.
(Source: Oleg Kutkov / Starlink Hardware / Elon Musk)
