SpaceX debuts portable Starlink Mini for $599

SpaceX unveiled Starlink Mini, a more portable version of its satellite internet product that is small enough to fit inside a backpack. 

Early Starlink customers were invited to purchase the Starlink Mini kit for $599, according to an invitation sent to customers and viewed by TechCrunch. That’s $100 more than the standard Starlink kit. They were also given the option to bundle Mini Roam service with their existing service plan for an additional $30 per month, though the data is capped at 50 gigabytes per month. 

That would mean a Starlink residential customer on the standard service plan would spend $150 per month. SpaceX aims to reduce the price of the kit, it said in the invitation. As of now, there is no standalone Mini Roam plan. 

“Our goal is to reduce the price of Starlink for those around the world where connectivity has been unaffordable or completely unavailable,” it says. “But in regions with high usage, where Starlink Mini places additional demand on the satellite network, we are offering a limited number of the Starlink Mini Kits to start for $599.” 

The Mini antenna is incredibly light: Weighing around 2.5 pounds with the kickstand, it’s only around 60% the weight of a standard Starlink dish. The service also boasts max download speeds of over 100 Mbps.

The first Starlink Minis will arrive sometime in July. The option will no doubt appeal to travelers, and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said on X that the Mini could be “a great low-cost option for a good backup Internet connection if your landline goes out.” 

Starlink is SpaceX’s popular satellite internet product, which is powered by more than 6,000 satellites in orbit right now. The service boasts more than 3 million customers across 100 countries.