Elon Musk details Starlink home broadband that simply connects

Pull high-speed, low-latency Internet into your home from space courtesy of Elon Musk and SpaceX It will be as simple as putting a “UFO on a stick” on a ceiling, fence, table, or anywhere else with a clear view of the sky.

That’s what Musk claimed on Twitter on Tuesday, along with new images of the receiver that SpaceX is refining to use with its Starlink satellite broadband, which is expected to start offering services in the northern US and Canada later this year.

“The Starlink terminal has motors to self-orient for an optimal viewing angle. No expert installer is required,” Musk tweeted. “Just plug it in and give it a clear view of the sky. It can be in the garden, on the roof, on the table, just about anywhere, as long as you have a wide view of the sky.”

The small satellite dish has been dubbed “UFO on a stick” for, well, obvious reasons. It appears to be smaller than the dishes used for many other satellite services, which often require professional installation and guidance.

SpaceX is already operating more than 500 of the routers in orbit as part of its grand plan to eventually launch tens of thousands of small satellites to cover Earth with broadband access.

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It is a project that has been controversial since the bright reflection of satellites began to interfere with astronomers’ work almost immediately after Starlink’s first launch. The company now plans launch all satellites onwards with umbrellas called “VisorSat” that reduce its brightness.

An exact start date for the service has yet to be announced, but a website is already up and running, collecting emails from potential customers. Musk says it “will take less than a minute to order on Starlink.com when it is published.”