Details about SpaceX Starlink beta emerge along with photos of user terminals


As SpaceX prepares beta testing for its Starlink broadband service, internet users have explored the Starlink website and found new details on upcoming beta testing and images of user terminals to be installed outside of the customer homes.

Reddit users yesterday said they did a data extraction from the Starlink support website and main site, uncovering a FAQ about beta testing, terms of service, and satellite dish images from different angles.

Here are the pictures:

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk wrote on Twitter last night that the latest version of the dish (also called user terminal) looks slightly different from what is seen in the photos. “Little note: The latch on the pole near the base is gone, and the powered Ethernet cable is less of an annoyance in the production version,” Musk wrote.

Musk has previously described the terminal as a “UFO on a stick”. SpaceX received approval from the Federal Communications Commission to deploy 1 million of them. The size of the terminal is 0.48 meters (almost 19 inches), according to an FCC file.

Beta testing

SpaceX recently updated the Starlink website with a form you can fill out to “get updates on Starlink news and service availability in your area.” Public beta testing is expected to begin in the fall.

Starlink frequently asked questions posted on Reddit say “Starlink Beta will start in the northern United States and drop[[[[that is to say south]Canada, with those who live in rural and / or remote communities in the Washington state area. Access to the Starlink Beta program will depend on the location of the user, as well as the number of users in nearby areas. “

Describing the current satellite network and the need for beta testers to have a clear view of the sky from their homes, the frequently asked questions say: “The Starlink system currently consists of almost 600 satellites that orbit Earth and can provide Internet service from in a very specific range way: between 44 and 52 degrees north latitude. Your Starlink dish requires a clear view of the North sky to communicate with Starlink satellites. Without the clear view, the Starlink dish cannot make a good connection and service it will be extremely poor. “

In another tweet yesterday, Musk noted that the “Starlink terminal has motors to self-orient for an optimal viewing angle,” eliminating the need for a skilled installer. The terminal can be placed “in the garden, on the roof, on the table, almost anywhere, provided you have a wide view of the sky,” wrote Musk. He also wrote that once the service is available, “it will take less than a minute to order from Starlink.com.”

Beta testers are asked to “spend an average of 30 minutes to 1 hour per day testing the Starlink Services and providing feedback periodically,” in accordance with the terms of service. “SpaceX requests for comment will be in the form of surveys, phone calls, emails and other means. Failure to participate may result in termination of your participation in the Beta Program and you must return your Starlink Kit.” Beta testers will not be able to publicly share anything about their use of the service.

FCC Approved Router

In addition to user terminals receiving signals from space, Starlink customers will need a router to supply Wi-Fi in their homes. SpaceX this week obtained FCC approval for its Starlink router, but the photos of the router are not yet public due to a request for confidentiality.

An FCC filing says the router is dual-band, supporting 2.4GHz and 5GHz transmissions. It supports the 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard with data transfer rates of up to 866.7Mbps, in addition to older standards including 802.11b, 802.11a / g, and 802.11n.

SpaceX listing image