Firmware Hints at New Starlink Dish With Built-In Battery, USB-C Port
A PhD student has found indications that SpaceX is developing a new Starlink Mini dish featuring a built-in battery and USB-C port. The discovery was made through a recent firmware update, which includes references to battery status and power sources. Although no official product has been released yet, these hints suggest that an upgraded dish may be on the way soon.
- ▪The firmware update includes code referring to different power sources, including USB-C and battery options.
- ▪The new features may enhance the dish's portability and usability with existing chargers.
- ▪Currently, users must purchase additional accessories to use the existing Mini dish with a battery.
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| Canonical URL | https://www.pcmag.com/news/firmware-hints-at-new-starlink-dish-with-built-in-battery-usb-c-port |
| Publication time | Thu, 21 May 26 19:57:40 +0000 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-21T20:11:35.676Z |
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Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
A PhD student has discovered signs that SpaceX is working on a Starlink Mini dish with a built-in battery and USB-C port. “This is new in the May firmware version,” says Jinwei Zhao, at the University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada. The firmware also seems to tease a battery status function.Zhao is part of a research team at the university under computer science Professor Jianping Pan, who has long been studying Starlink and other satellite internet providers. Zhao regularly downloads Starlink firmware releases for its dishes and publishes them on GitHub.
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