SpaceX Begins Selling Starlink Kit at Retail Store in Japan

SpaceX founder and Tesla CEO Elon Musk speaks on a screen during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain, on June 29, 2021. Nacho Doce/Reuters

Elon Musk’s SpaceX is selling its Starlink satellite internet products at a retail store in Japan, according to Japanese media.

Starlink is selling its standard hardware at a Costco store in Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan, news site Impress reported on Aug. 24. It’s the first time the company’s products have been available at a physical retail site.

According to the report, the store is selling the standard kit at a “discounted price” of 36,500 yen (about $250) through Nov. 11. Starlink products are expected to be available at 32 other stores, the report said.

Costco Japan stated that the promotion will include 13,200 yen ($90) worth of credits, which can be used for Starlink’s monthly communication expenses. These credits are adaptable for both residential and roam modes, the latter being usable anywhere.

Starlink stated on its website that its standard kit is best for residential users and everyday internet activities such as streaming, video calls, and online gaming. The kit includes Starlink, a Wi-Fi router, cables, and a base.

An antenna of the Starlink satellite-based broadband system donated by U.S. tech billionaire Elon Musk in Izyum, Kharkiv region, on Sept. 25, 2022, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP via Getty Images

SpaceX didn’t respond by press time to The Epoch Times request for comment

Starlink is among a growing number of makers of small satellites that are focused on providing satellite-based internet, including Amazon’s Project Kuiper, Britain’s OneWeb, and venture capital-backed Planet.

The Starlink satellite constellation has been a lifeline for Ukraine since Russia launched a war against the country, especially vital as Ukraine struggles to keep electrical power and telecommunications operating under withering Russian missile and drone attacks on civilian targets.

The network of low-orbiting satellites has been crucial to Ukraine’s use of battlefield drones, and the country’s defenders have no viable alternative. The satellite links help Ukrainian fighters locate the enemy and target long-range artillery strikes.

The Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper reported in June that Japan’s military was testing the Starlink satellite internet service with an aim toward adopting the technology next fiscal year, citing unnamed government sources.

While the Ministry of Defense already has access to communication satellites in geostationary orbit, the use of Starlink technology would add a constellation of satellites in low Earth orbit, the report said.

The Japan Self-Defense Forces have been testing Starlink since March, with the system deployed in about 10 locations and in training. Countries worldwide seek to build resilience against the risk of communications jamming or attacks on satellites in the event of a conflict.

Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.