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SpaceX could lose $2k on each satellite-dish it sells
- ryzvonusef 6y agoSpaceX may spend billions to outsource Starlink satellite-dish production, an industry insider says — and could lose $2,000 on each one it sells. * SpaceX recently launched a public beta test for Starlink, its growing network of internet-beaming satellites. * Test subscribers pay $100 per month for broadband-like service, plus a $500 fee for a starter kit that includes a "UFO on a stick" user terminal, or satellite dish. * But each user terminal contains a phased-array antenna, which industry experts say can't be made for less than $1,000. * SpaceX hired STMicroelectronics to manufacture Starlink user terminals, a person with knowledge of the agreement told Business Insider. * The contract with the Swiss-headquartered manufacturing giant calls for the production of 1 million terminals and may be worth billions of dollars, the person said.
- nickik 6y agoAs with every Musk project, industry expert come out and claim that all they do is subsidies their product with investor money, there is no way it could be so cheap. The expert here is actually somebody from a competitor company. Not convinced by arguments like that. Industry experts so often simply don't think things are possible, but those exact experts also haven't actually tried, exactly because they think its not possible. It might be above 500$ but the is no way in hell Elon Musk would sell something for 500$ that has a 2.5k$ production cost. Elon would only sell something for 500$ if he would see a fast path to that cost being realized.