SpaceX appears to be getting closer to launching the next generation of its portable satellite internet terminal. Newly discovered firmware has revealed the Starlink Mini 2 has entered production, bringing several notable hardware changes, including a built-in battery.
The new hardware revision, identified as mini2_prod1, was discovered by Starlink researcher and repair expert Oleg Kutkov. According to the firmware, the biggest upgrade is the addition of an integrated four-cell (4S) lithium battery, eliminating the need for external battery packs that many Starlink Mini owners currently rely on. Battery capacity remains unknown, but the terminal will support USB-C Power Delivery charging with an input range of 11V to 24V.
The Mini 2 is also slightly smaller than its predecessor. The antenna panel measures 225 x 273 mm, down from 236 x 276 mm on the original Mini. Despite the smaller footprint, the terminal retains GPS and is explicitly configured for in-motion use, allowing it to continue serving travelers, campers, RV owners, and boaters.
Internally, the redesigned phased-array antenna has been optimized, using 549 antenna elements compared to 571 on the first-generation Mini. The device also continues to use the same “Catapult” system-on-chip.
There are a few trade-offs. Average transmit power has been reduced slightly, while the transmit duty cycle drops dramatically from 75% to 11%.
“The transmit duty cycle has been reduced significantly, from 75% to 11%, which will result in lower uplink speeds. This limitation is most likely driven by the terminal’s power budget,” Kutkov wrote on X.
The reduced transmit duty cycle likely helps extend battery life by lowering power consumption, although it could impact sustained upload performance.
The firmware also shows improved thermal management, with higher operating temperature thresholds than the original Mini.
While SpaceX has yet to officially announce the Starlink Mini 2 or reveal pricing and availability, the appearance of production hardware in firmware suggests an official launch may not be far away.
Starlink Mini 2 is finally entering production, with a built-in battery now confirmed.
— Oleg Kutkov 🇺🇦 (@olegkutkov) July 19, 2026
The current hardware revision is mini2_prod1.
The new terminal is slightly smaller than the original Starlink Mini. Its panel PCB measures 225 × 273 mm, compared with 236 × 276 mm for Mini 1.… pic.twitter.com/7qBtl5ZYR4
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