SpaceX Launches Starlink Mini: A Portable Satellite Internet Antenna For Backpackers

The satellite internet company Starlink—owned by aerospace company SpaceX—launched Starlink Mini, a compact, portable version of its standard model antenna last week. The new kit, arriving in July, can fit in a backpack and will provide internet service on the go.

According to the information shared on Starlink’s website, the new mobile service will only be available for purchase in Panama, Colombia, El Salvador, and Guatemala and only to customers who receive an invitation. Only a few customers in the United States received the email invite, as the company has a specific release strategy in mind.

“Our goal is to reduce the price of Starlink, especially for those around the world where connectivity has been unaffordable or completely unavailable,” states the update shared on the website. “In regions with high usage, like the US, where Starlink Mini places additional demand on the satellite network, we are offering a limited number of the Starlink Mini Kits to start at a higher price point.”

According to TechCrunch, customers with the invitation can buy the Starlink Mini kit for $599—around a hundred dollars more than the standard hardware. The satellite internet company offered a monthly bundle for those already using a Starlink home service for $30 extra a month, for a total of $150 a month. The mobile service’s price has a limit of 50 gigabytes a month and download speeds of over 100Mbps, while the residential service is unlimited.

Starlink said they expect to reduce the price of the kit and reach more markets. Michael Nicolls, Vice President of Starlink Engineering, shared a post on X with a picture featuring the new product next to a Dachshund puppy for size reference and said that the company is working on production to reach international markets soon.

One Reddit user got the invitation and shared it with other users on the platform. Many responded with interest, asking the user to share their thoughts on the service, to which they responded, “Purchased. Will be here on the 30th. Excited to report back!”