SpaceX is about to bring its Starlink internet service to moving vehicles.
That’s right, folks, from December 2022 you ‘ll be able to hook up to its high-speed, low-latency internet service while motoring along a highway in the remotest of spots.
Enjoy high-speed, low-latency internet while on the move! Now accepting orders for the flat high-performance Starlink, which provides connectivity while in motion on land → https://t.co/tWDPs3JDWK pic.twitter.com/z2HNxaizdW
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 25, 2022
SpaceX launched its Starlink-for-RVs service in May, offering internet access to vehicles, though they had to be parked up at the time of use.
Wednesday’s announcement takes the RV service a step further, enabling connections while the vehicle is in motion.
Take note, though, the service doesn’t come cheap.
Whereas Starlink for stationary vehicles costs $599 for the standard satellite dish, the RV-in-motion service requires a flat high-performance Starlink dish costing $2,500.
“With a wide field of view and enhanced GPS capabilities, the flat high- performance Starlink can connect to more satellites, allowing for consistent connectivity on the go,” SpaceX explains on its website.
It says the hardware is designed for permanent installation on a vehicle and promises that it’s “resilient in harsh environments.”
Starlink for vehicles in motion is available for order and use in select markets, with the first deliveries going out in just a couple of months from now.
Starlink operates via small satellites launched by SpaceX to low-Earth orbit. More than 2,000 of the satellites are currently in space, with more being deployed all the time. As of May 2022, Starlink is serving more than 400,000 customers in 36 countries.
Since launching its standard Starlink service for home users as a beta in 2020, SpaceX has been working to expand it to more sectors. Besides the portable RV service that launched earlier this year, it has also unveiled Starlink for business users, Starlink Maritime for ships, and Starlink Aviation for airplanes, with Royal Caribbean and Hawaiian Airlines among early customers.
SpaceX chief Elon Musk has said that Starlink has the potential to generate up to $50 billion in annual revenue if it’s able to grab even just a few percent of the global telecommunications market in the coming years.
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