SpaceX's Starlink Maritime service offers fast satellite internet even while you are at sea, riding a boat, yacht, or ship.
The satellite internet service owned by ultra-rich billionaire Elon Musk debuted its new version of Starlink dish specifically for sea transportation.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and founder of SpaceX, Musk, says that it has been refined to be more durable and rugged than the standard satellite dish.
SpaceX Starlink Maritime
As per a news story by Engadget, the Musk-owned satellite internet firm has officially launched its service, which specifically caters to users riding on ships, yachts, and boats.
The introduction of Starlink Maritime comes after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) finally authorized SpaceX to offer its satellite internet service even while vehicles are in motion.
According to a recent report by CNBC, the approval comes as the FCC says there are "growing user demands that now require connectivity while on the move."
This, in turn, gave the firm the green light to expand its services to boats.
Interestingly, Starlink was swift to debut its new "Maritime" satellite dish, roughly a week after the FCC gave its go signal. So, it appears that SpaceX was only waiting for approval, but the service looks ready to be launched all this time.
Engadget notes that the big boss of SpaceX, Musk, first teased Starlink internet for boats and airplanes as early as 2021. But it only officially saw the light of day after the FCC authorization.
SpaceX Starlink Maritime: What to Expect
Starlink touts that its internet service for boats reaches up to around 350 megabytes per second (Mbps) download speed even while in the middle of the sea.
Musk says that the satellite dish for Starlink Maritime is not exactly what residential users have.
So, it is not like getting the antennae from your roof and then transferring it to a yacht. The SpaceX boss explains that the new Maritime version boasts specs that would precisely withstand the extreme conditions at the sea.
To be less vague about it, the chief executive says that Maritime offers "dual, high-performance terminals." He adds that it brings high-speed internet connection even in heavy storms in the middle of the ocean.
On top of that, Musk also boasts it could overcome "extreme winds" and "relentless salt spray."
Starlink Maritime Price
But all of this comes with a hefty price tag compared to what the residential version costs.
The internet service alone sells for $5,000 per month. However, Starlink asks users to pay for the hardware, which costs $10,000 for a one-time payment.
