Key Points
- The FCC has approved SpaceX to launch an additional 7,500 Starlink satellites. This brings the total authorized constellation to 15,000 satellites.
- The new satellites will help boost internet speeds and provide direct-to-cell connectivity.
- SpaceX must launch half of the new satellites by December 2028.
- The approval solidifies SpaceX’s dominance in the satellite internet market.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has authorized SpaceX to launch an additional 7,500 second-generation Starlink satellites. The approval, announced on Friday, is a major win for Elon Musk’s company as it works to expand its satellite internet service globally.
This new batch of satellites will bring SpaceX’s total authorized constellation to 15,000. The FCC is also allowing the company to upgrade the satellites to operate on more frequencies, which will help boost capacity and deliver internet speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second.
“This FCC authorization is a game-changer,” said FCC Chair Brendan Carr. “By authorizing 15,000 new and advanced satellites, the FCC has given SpaceX the green light to deliver unprecedented satellite broadband capabilities.”
SpaceX originally sought permission to launch nearly 30,000 satellites, but the FCC is taking a more cautious approach for now. The agency said it is deferring a decision on the remaining satellites until the new Gen2 models have been tested in orbit.
The approval comes with some deadlines. SpaceX must launch half of the new satellites by December 2028 and the rest by December 2031. The company also recently announced plans to lower the orbit of its entire constellation in 2026 to improve space safety, following a rare accident involving one of its satellites.
With nearly 10,000 satellites already in orbit, SpaceX is by far the world’s largest satellite operator. This new approval will only solidify its dominance in the satellite internet market, a fact that has some regulators worried about a lack of competition.
