SpaceX makes Starlink Roam available throughout the US

[Admin]

Described as "high-speed internet on the go," SpaceX's Starlink Mini is now available from coast to coast, bringing users a world-wide connection from space.

SpaceX makes Starlink Roam available throughout the US : Read more

 

[CookieRojas]

Plug it in - there are half a dozen steps involved. Most roaming applications require a DC power source, which is feasible just via unsupported, third-party pieces of dubious quality. I'd like to say more, but the bot that polices comment content disallows do to some narrow irrelevant criteria. AI: another technology loosed from Pandora's box without concern for public interest.

 

[ChrisA]

The article says "Put it in your backpack" but does not say if the device is battery-powered or if it requires access to AC mains power (wall socket).

Also, we see that SpaceX is developing a "direct to cell phone" service as they keep launching these experimental "direct to cell" satellites. We don't know the price of bandwidth of this direct-to-cell service but if it works, it would quickly make this mini-terminal obsolete.

I do a lot of hiking and backpacking in areas where there is no cell service. I would be nice to have direct-to-cell service even if it only allowed one text message per hour. A full Internet connection in such a location would be pointless because if there is not service, there is also no way to charge the phone, so I usually only have the phone turned on a few minutes a day.

 

[Classical Motion]

We have light weight fold-able solar panels now. Can be draped from a rope. Even roll-able films. If only we had a light weight battery. Maybe these new metal foams might work out. Even better if it was fold-able. Like a thin foam ground mattress. A battery mattress.

Let’s put that on the list.

 

[ChrisA]

We have light weight fold-able solar panels now. Can be draped from a rope. Even roll-able films. If only we had a light weight battery. Maybe these new metal foams might work out. Even better if it was fold-able. Like a thin foam ground mattress. A battery mattress.

Let’s put that on the list.

We can't talk about using solar pannels for this terminal until we know its power requirements. Same for batteries, we don't know what is required.

Certainly, it could be solar powered but what if it turns out you need 4 square meters of panels, even if ultra-this and flexible, they would never fit in a backpack. The point is that we just do not know what is required.

 

[Classical Motion]

How much room does an emergency survival film blanket take. Or two?

 

[Miles777]

We can't talk about using solar pannels for this terminal until we know its power requirements. Same for batteries, we don't know what is required.

Certainly, it could be solar powered but what if it turns out you need 4 square meters of panels, even if ultra-this and flexible, they would never fit in a backpack. The point is that we just do not know what is required.

A very modest amount of internet searching would reveal the answers about the SpaceX Mini power requirements, although I agree that the article would have been better if it had included such details.