The release of the Starlink mini dish appears to be imminent as new images surface

Starlink is one step closer to launching the Starlink Mini dish. SpaceX updated its app over the weekend, and with the update came some official images of the dish itself, which will begin rolling out to select areas next month. Starlink dishes provide satellite-based Internet connectivity, often in underserved areas.

The new images were posted on X by Ukrainian engineer Oleg Kutkov, along with some interior images from the Mini’s recent Federal Communications Commission certification (PDF). According to that FCC certification, the Starlink Mini houses a built-in router that will support the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands along with 802.11ax and 3×3 MIMO. There is also an Ethernet port for those who want to connect directly.

Elon Musk responded to Kutkov’s tweet by saying that he had “just set (the dish) up now” and that it took him about five minutes. Musk also said the dish could easily be carried in a backpack.

In a follow-up tweet, the SpaceX CEO posted a screenshot showing download speeds of 100 megabits per second, upload speeds of 11.5 Mbps and a latency of 23 milliseconds.

This means that the Starlink Mini will likely pull slower speeds than its full-size stablemate. However, 100 Mbps is more than enough for multiple 4K video streams, video calls, voice chats and file downloads. Online gaming may even be possible if the lag is consistent.

The Starlink Mini dish is a smaller version of the standard dish

According to FCC certification, the Starlink Mini measures 11.4 by 9.8 inches. For reference, the 13-inch Apple MacBook Pro is 11.97 by 8.36 inches. That means Musk was right when he said the Starlink Mini could fit in a backpack. The footrest on the Mini also comes in the regular plate, although the regular plate is intended for roof mounting, while the Mini seems intended for travel use.

According to Musk, the Starlink Mini will cost about half of what the full version does. The full version costs $499, although new subscribers can get it at a discounted price of $299. That should put the Mini in the race for $249 retail and $149 for new customers. This makes it much more palatable for people looking to spend less, who may not need anything faster than 100Mbps.

CNET tested Starlink’s Internet service when it launched and found it to be a pretty good option, especially in areas where there are few other options, such as much of rural America.

The Starlink Mini seems to build on that identity by making it easy to mount the dish in campers and RVs, carry it in backpacks, and generally bring it anywhere else you’d want internet that doesn’t normally have it.