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There is already an aviation and Maritime mobile antenna unit in beta test. I've seen photos of it. You can also see the prototypes of the flush/conformal mount

There is already an aviation and Maritime mobile antenna unit in beta test. I've seen photos of it. You can also see the prototypes of the flush/conformal mount aviation terminal stuck to the side of some of the starship prototypes. The units that exist right now are meant to be relatively low cost and compete with consumer geostationary vsat terminals.

judge2020 4y ago
And v1 supposedly had a COGS of $1500 https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/spacex-is-spending-1500-to-make-each-starlink-terminal-but-customers-will-only-be-charged-499-its-president-says/articleshow/82003604.cms https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/spacex-is-spending-...
- unixhero 4y ago
  That is okay for a business
  - tenpies 4y ago
    The rate at which SpaceX does capital raises suggests otherwise. See: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/22/elon-musks-spacex-looks-to-raise-1point7-billion-in-new-funding.html https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/22/elon-musks-spacex-looks-to-r... It's going to be interesting to see in what shape Space X survives the end of the "free money" era.
    - herewulf 4y ago
      Considering their current position as a launch provider (and independent of Russian rockets/engines), I'd say they're going to do just fine.
      - wongarsu 4y ago
        Let's say they make 30 million profit from each Falcon 9 launch. Last year they did 31 launches, but half of those were Starlink launches. That's 15x30 = $450 million profit off Falcon 9, plus whatever they made from Dragon. You're probably right that they would be fine as a company if they couldn't get any more money. SpaceX could operate at a decent profit and still do either Starlink or Starship at reduced pace. The "free money" just allows them to get to their goals a lot faster.
    - mschuster91 4y ago
      So what? At 100$/month, the initial 1000$ "subsidy" is paid off and the dish generates naked profit - internet contracts can run for extremely long, especially if there is no competition. Cable and DSL networks renting you a shitty 50$ modem for 5-10$ a month or charging you 5$ for the privilege of using the shitty wifi AP are worse in that regard.
    - walrus01 4y ago
      Absolute worst case scenario it goes bankrupt and ends up like the second corporate incarnation of Iridium under entirely new owners. Which is very much a successful and essential, mission critical business today.
      - thinkcontext 4y ago
        A big difference is Starlink satellites are low enough that they will reenter the atmosphere in 5-10 years. So, a short shelf life limits its value as an investment. Musk has said that for Starlink to be successful they need the launch capabilities of Starship.
      - baq 4y ago
        Department of Defense has had a perhaps unexpected taste of Starlink’s capabilities in real warfare and they will not let them go. I expect a large infusion of cash from that direction if anything bad was on the horizon. I mean, read what little official commentary is available from them. You can practically hear those guys salivating at what they’re seeing: unjammable, indestructible, untappable communications infrastructure with high bandwidth and 5 min setup time in the field, man portable if necessary.
    - mbesto 4y ago
      You make your money on the annuity. This is like utilities 101 (see -> Verizon Wireless, AT&T Wireless, etc.)
- walrus01 4y ago
  Terrestrial fiber based ISPs doing GPON can regularly spend several thousand dollars in new build outside plant fiber construction costs to bring a single home on net, but they know they have a very good chance of getting at least ten years if not more of revenue at $85 a month from it.
- panick21_ 4y ago
  Yes and that why the already not using that anymore and are now using something cheaper and very likely already have the next version in the pipeline.

judge2020 4y ago

And v1 supposedly had a COGS of $1500 https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/spacex-is-spending-1500-to-make-each-starlink-terminal-but-customers-will-only-be-charged-499-its-president-says/articleshow/82003604.cms https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/spacex-is-spending-...

unixhero 4y ago
That is okay for a business
- tenpies 4y ago
  The rate at which SpaceX does capital raises suggests otherwise. See: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/22/elon-musks-spacex-looks-to-raise-1point7-billion-in-new-funding.html https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/22/elon-musks-spacex-looks-to-r... It's going to be interesting to see in what shape Space X survives the end of the "free money" era.
  - herewulf 4y ago
    Considering their current position as a launch provider (and independent of Russian rockets/engines), I'd say they're going to do just fine.
    - wongarsu 4y ago
      Let's say they make 30 million profit from each Falcon 9 launch. Last year they did 31 launches, but half of those were Starlink launches. That's 15x30 = $450 million profit off Falcon 9, plus whatever they made from Dragon. You're probably right that they would be fine as a company if they couldn't get any more money. SpaceX could operate at a decent profit and still do either Starlink or Starship at reduced pace. The "free money" just allows them to get to their goals a lot faster.
  - mschuster91 4y ago
    So what? At 100$/month, the initial 1000$ "subsidy" is paid off and the dish generates naked profit - internet contracts can run for extremely long, especially if there is no competition. Cable and DSL networks renting you a shitty 50$ modem for 5-10$ a month or charging you 5$ for the privilege of using the shitty wifi AP are worse in that regard.
  - walrus01 4y ago
    Absolute worst case scenario it goes bankrupt and ends up like the second corporate incarnation of Iridium under entirely new owners. Which is very much a successful and essential, mission critical business today.
    - thinkcontext 4y ago
      A big difference is Starlink satellites are low enough that they will reenter the atmosphere in 5-10 years. So, a short shelf life limits its value as an investment. Musk has said that for Starlink to be successful they need the launch capabilities of Starship.
    - baq 4y ago
      Department of Defense has had a perhaps unexpected taste of Starlink’s capabilities in real warfare and they will not let them go. I expect a large infusion of cash from that direction if anything bad was on the horizon. I mean, read what little official commentary is available from them. You can practically hear those guys salivating at what they’re seeing: unjammable, indestructible, untappable communications infrastructure with high bandwidth and 5 min setup time in the field, man portable if necessary.
  - mbesto 4y ago
    You make your money on the annuity. This is like utilities 101 (see -> Verizon Wireless, AT&T Wireless, etc.)
walrus01 4y ago
Terrestrial fiber based ISPs doing GPON can regularly spend several thousand dollars in new build outside plant fiber construction costs to bring a single home on net, but they know they have a very good chance of getting at least ten years if not more of revenue at $85 a month from it.
panick21_ 4y ago
Yes and that why the already not using that anymore and are now using something cheaper and very likely already have the next version in the pipeline.