SpaceX’s space internet venture Starlink has revealed its new rectangular dish that is thinner and lighter than the first-generation circular model.
According to specs provided by Starlink, the new dish is 19 inches by 12 inches and, with the cable, weighs 9.2 pounds, which is almost half the weight of the older model. Improvements to the dish’s overall kit have also been made, including adding a new 3x3 MU-MIMO internet router that can operate in extreme temperatures.
MU-MIMO stands for Mulituser Multiple-In Multiple-Out, and this technology allows people to use multiple bandwidth channels when transmitting or receiving data. With this new dish, owners can access three separate bandwidth channels to use with their kit.
The older model only allowed access to two separate channels. However, the ethernet port had to be removed to compensate for this extra channel, although an adapter is available for purchase if someone wants to connect a device directly to the router.
The MIMO router has a water resistance rating of IP54 which means it’s protected against dust and splashes of liquid. And it can now operate in temperatures as low as -22 degrees up to a maximum of 122 degrees Fahrenheit.
The Starlink kit also comes with new types of poles that attach to the sides of houses as well as a long ground pole for when roof mounting is not possible.
The price for the new dish remains the same as the older model at $499, and that’s without the internet service for which you will have to pay an extra $99 a month. It is currently available for new orders, but only in the United States with one subscription per account.
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