SpaceX Hints at Expanded Refurbishment Program for Starlink Dishes

SpaceX is hinting it’ll make refurbishing old or returned Starlink dishes a main part of its business. 

The company published a new environmental responsibility document that goes over SpaceX’s efforts to recycle and reuse Starlink hardware. “In the event that a Starlink product reaches end-of-life, we provide guidance to ensure proper recycling and recovery,” the document says. 

A “retired product” can be returned to a local recycling facility or to Starlink itself “for a refurbishment process, enabling another life spin of the product.”

“We continuously strive to increase the refurbishment program by expanding the program to include new product lines,” the document adds. “Starlink is determined to optimize and expand this process, accelerating the transition to a circular economy.”  

(Credit: Starlink.com)

That said, the recycling and refurbishment program isn’t really mentioned on the official Starlink site, aside from the environmental responsibility section tucked under the Starlink legal terms. So, the program may still be a work in progress. SpaceX didn’t respond to a request for comment. 

Still, the company has been going out of its way to promote the sale of refurbished Starlink dishes. In recent weeks, SpaceX has placed ads on social media mentioning that users can buy refurbished versions of its newest “V4” Starlink dish for $399, a $200 discount.

The focus on refurbished units arrives as SpaceX is trying to attract more users to the satellite internet service, which has included offering select US consumers $1 trials. Starlink currently has over 2.7 million users, but some analysts are projecting that the user base will grow from 3.7 million to 4.1 million by year’s end. 

“What is clear is that SpaceX is counting on much faster growth based on current rates of terminal production and satellite launches,” satellite industry analyst Tim Farrar tells PCMag. “This means (just like at Tesla) we are likely to see significant price cuts for equipment and potentially also for airtime as Starlink attempts to compete with 5G wireless home broadband, especially in the US.”

Along with the refurbishment, a potential hardware price could be on the horizon through a new “Starlink mini” dish, which is slated to arrive later this year. As Quilty Space Research Director Caleb Henry notes, the mini dish’s smaller size likely means it’ll be cheaper for SpaceX to produce. “That could translate to lower prices if Starlink passes those savings on to customers,” he tells PCMag.