Will 2026 bring cheaper Starlink hardware? It will certainly be more plentiful as SpaceX prepares to double the manufacturing output at its Starlink factory in Bastrop, Texas.
SpaceX mentioned the goal in a newly released 2025 progress report for Starlink, which last month topped 9 million users globally, up from about 4 million a year ago.
The Texas factory was originally producing 15,000 Starlink dishes per day, or about 105,000 per week. But the site has since added 1 million more square feet. As a result, “Starlink has ramped up production capabilities to over 170,000 Starlink kits per week across the United States,” or around 9 million dishes per year, SpaceX says in its report.
“In 2026, Starlink aims to double Starlink kit production at the Bastrop site to meet rising demand for high-speed, low-latency internet,” it adds. “This expansion will further scale our vertical integration in injection molding, die-casting, PCBs [printed circuit boards], and PCBA assembly, aligning with our strategy to diversify the supply chain and deliver products Engineered by SpaceX and Made in the US.”
(Credit: SpaceX)
Texas is not SpaceX’s only production site; it’s also built Starlink hardware at its Hawthorne, California, facility. However, the increased manufacturing output suggests SpaceX is preparing to build millions of additional satellite internet dishes to reach even more consumers.
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Many of those dishes will likely go to India, where the company is close to launching Starlink access after years of regulatory proceedings. The increased output also makes us wonder if SpaceX will cut prices on Starlink dish hardware even more; currently the company is selling the Starlink Mini dish for a discounted $229. Meanwhile, the standard dish is $279, though some US customers have the option to get it as a free rental.
That said, SpaceX is rumored to be working on new dish models, which could make an appearance later this year, but pricing is unknown.
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About Our Expert
Michael Kan
Senior Reporter
Experience
I’ve been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I’m currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country’s technology sector.
Since 2020, I’ve covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I’ve combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink’s cellular service.
I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. Earlier this year, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.
I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I’m now following how President Trump’s tariffs will affect the industry. I’m always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.
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