Photo courtesy: Starlink
SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service is expanding its reach to a new group of users—backpackers and outdoor enthusiasts. The company has just launched the Starlink Mini, a compact and power-efficient satellite dish designed to provide high-speed internet access in remote locations.
In a tweet, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk declared the Starlink Mini “will change the world,” while also noting the compact dish can be up and running in less than five minutes.
The Starlink Mini is a significant departure from the company’s standard satellite dish. Measuring just 11.75 x 10.2 x 1.45 inches and weighing only 2.43 pounds, the Mini can easily fit in a backpack. But despite its small size, it packs a punch as it can deliver internet speeds of up to 100Mbps, making it suitable for bandwidth-intensive tasks like streaming, video conferencing, and remote work.
One of the key features of the Starlink Mini is its power efficiency. The dish consumes an average of 20-40W, a significant improvement over the 33-62W required by the standard Starlink setup. This means users can power the Mini for 2-3 hours using a high-capacity power bank, or over an hour with a smaller 10,000mAh battery. The Mini requires a USB-C PD power source with a minimum rating of 100W (20V/5A).
The compact and power-efficient design of the Starlink Mini makes it an attractive option for outdoor enthusiasts who want to stay connected while exploring remote areas. It is perfect for backpackers, overlanders, or just someone who enjoys working from nature.
However, the Starlink Mini comes with a premium price tag. In the US, the Mini kit costs $599, $100 more than the standard Starlink dish, and requires an additional $30 per month for the Mini Roam service. This add-on provides up to 50GB of mobile data per month, with the option to purchase more at $1 per GB.
While the Starlink Mini is currently only available in the US, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Panama, SpaceX plans to expand its availability to more markets in the future. The company says its goal is to “reduce the price of Starlink, especially for those around the world where connectivity has been unaffordable or completely unavailable.”
The Starlink Mini represents a significant step forward in bringing high-speed satellite internet to the great outdoors. For adventurers and remote workers alike, this compact and power-efficient dish could be the key to staying connected in even the most far-flung corners of the world.
