SpaceX Reveals Next-Gen Starlink Dish

SpaceX discreetly unveiled an innovative Starlink dish tailored for residential users, promising an enhancement in broadband quality. The comprehensive release on Starlink.com, following FCC approval for hardware sales, showcases the dish’s specs, images, and videos. A standout modification is the elimination of the rotating antenna seen in the first and second-generation Starlink residential dishes. The new model simplifies connectivity by merely requiring an upward orientation to receive satellite internet. Alternatively, users can opt for a “pipe adapter” mount for rooftop installation.

In terms of dimensions, the new dish is marginally taller at 23.4 inches compared to the second-gen’s 20.2 inches but maintains an 11.9-inch width. Notably, it boasts an improved waterproof rating at IP67, ensuring dust-proofing and resilience against shallow water immersion for up to 30 minutes. Power consumption has seen an increase, ranging from 75 to 100 watts in the new model, compared to 50 to 75 watts in its predecessor.

Although the Starlink website remains mum on performance details, an FCC filing reveals the dish’s aim to provide a high-performance solution surpassing previous authorized fixed user terminal models. SpaceX plans to bundle the dish with the new “Gen 3” router, equipped with Wi-Fi 6 and two Ethernet ports. However, the price and availability of the dish are yet to be disclosed.

The Starlink website dubs the new dish as “Standard,” hinting at its potential to replace the existing second-gen residential dish, now dubbed “Standard actuated” due to its rotating antenna. In September, SpaceX secured FCC approval for another smaller Starlink dish, but as of now, the Starlink website hasn’t divulged details on that particular offering.