A battery powered Starlink Mini may be on the way

Code in the latest Starlink firmware indicates that SpaceX may soon release a version of the smallest satellite dish with an integrated battery. The battery-powered Starlink Mini can provide seamless mobility for motorists, emergency responders, and anyone who wants fast, low-cost Internet access from anywhere in the world.

University researcher Jinwei Zhao spotted a series of cables indicating an integrated battery in the May firmware release, According to PCMag. The “message DishBatteryStats“The line provides code designed to retrieve specific parameters from the attached battery, including the current state_of_charge.” If the dish was only connected to an external, third-party power bank, the Starlink firmware could not automatically calculate the battery level or charge level.

The firmware also contains the reference code three different power componentsmeaning the device can run off a USB-C power source, its internal battery, or both at the same time. This kind of support should improve the health of the battery so that the plate doesn’t become paper heavy after a few hundred years.

Currently, the Starlink Mini must be plugged into an AC wall outlet or a portable battery to connect to the 10,000-plus satellites operating in Earth orbit. You can also buy batteries as well the impressive PeakDo LinkPowerwhich slots into the back of the Starlink Mini. But the PeakDo software is expensive, and the batteries are expensive compared to external power banks.

The Starlink Mini with an integrated battery can work seamlessly in the Starlink program, backed by SpaceX’s warranty, and allow the dish to be designed as compactly as possible – perhaps around a 99Wh flight-compatible battery, which can deliver. over five hours of running time based on my testing.