Are Starlink antennas portable for use across the globe during travel?
Starlink is slowly starting to spread their wings globally, with a recent beta launched in Canada after their initial launch in the US.
Let's assume I buy the antenna/dish and their service in Canada. If I decide to travel to the US for a holiday, can I take the equipment with me and use the same service there? More generally, once Starlink spreads globally, would it be possible to take my local product wherever I go and hook into their internet service wherever I land? Or is there something in their contract/setup that prohibits that kind of global travel use?
This question was originally asked on Space.SE (Portable Starlink antennas), but may be a better fit here as it relates more to travel than space exploration.
Best Answer
In addition to Zach's answer that referenced the Q&A on Reddit, the Starlink Beta FAQ has this to say about moving the base station
Can I travel with Starlink, or move it to a different address?
Starlink satellites are scheduled to send internet down to all users within a designated area on the ground. This designated area is referred to as a cell.
Your Starlink is assigned to a single cell. If you move your Starlink outside of its assigned cell, a satellite will not be scheduled to serve your Starlink and you will not receive internet. This is constrained by geometry and is not arbitrary geofencing.
Edit - New information from SpaceX
This week (8th March 2021) SpaceX filed that a Starlink terminal could be deployed on vehicles. See this story about that filing.
However a lot of people took this to mean even on things as small as passenger cars, however Elon corrected this is a tweet saying:
Not connecting Tesla cars to Starlink, as our terminal is much too big. This is for aircraft, ships, large trucks & RVs.
So in the future you will be able to use your starlink device on your RV as you drive across the US, or on your boat as you cruise the intercostal waterway. But no indication was given as to when this might be possible.
Edit - More information from Elon Musk
I saw in this article that Elon tweeted this week (15th of April 2021)
Yeah, should be fully mobile later this year, so you can move it anywhere or use it on an RV or truck in motion. We need a few more satellite launches to achieve compete coverage & some key software upgrades.
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Can Starlink be used while Travelling?
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More answers regarding are Starlink antennas portable for use across the globe during travel?
Answer 2
Tesla’s have a 70-100kWh battery in them.
Should power the base station for a good long time.
Good for camping.
Not so much for hiking, though.
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