Skip to main content

SpaceX unveils Starlink internet service for moving vehicles

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 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. The monthly fee comes in at $135.

“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.

Editors' Recommendations

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
SpaceX all set for a record-breaking rocket launch on Friday
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches in February 2023.

UPDATE: SpaceX set a new record on Friday night by launching and landing a Falcon 9 booster for the 20th time. The original article is included below SpaceX's update on the mission:

https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1778964313845506535

Read more
Watch SpaceX blast its megarocket engines in spectacular test
SpaceX's Super Heavy booster during a static fire test.

SpaceX recently lit all 33 Raptor engines on the Super Heavy booster in a static fire test ahead of its fourth flight.

The tethered test took place at SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas, and was performed without the Starship spacecraft atop the booster. The company shared a video showing the engines firing up:

Read more
SpaceX shares stunning night shot of its Super Heavy booster
SpaceX's Super Heavy booster on the launchpad in Boca Chica, Texas.

SpaceX has released a breathtaking image (below left) of its Super Heavy booster, which has been moved to the launchpad ahead of the Starship’s fourth test flight. It shows the world’s most powerful launch vehicle on the pad at night, with a dramatic star-filled sky as the backdrop.

https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1775956032021495886

Read more