The FCC on Friday approved SpaceX’s request to deploy 7,500 additional second-generation Starlink satellites to expand global Internet service.
The FCC permit approved SpaceX to operate 15,000 Starlink satellites, allowing upgrades, expanding use to five frequencies, waiving overlapping coverage and capacity limits.
Building on these upgrades, the agency said the satellites will provide international direct-to-cell connectivity and supplemental U.S. coverage, enabling next-gen StarLink mobile services and internet speeds up to 1 gigabit per second.
FCC Authorization is a major advancement for enabling Next Generation Services. FCC Chair Brendan Carr said, “By authorizing 15,000 new and advanced satellites, the FCC has given SpaceX the green light to deliver unprecedented satellite broadband capabilities. This will strengthen computation and help ensure that no community is left behind.”
SpaceX requested approval for 30,000 satellites, but the FCC is authorizing only 15,000.
We find that authorization for additional satellites is in the public interest. The Gen2 Starlink upgrade satellites remain untested in orbit. We defer authorization for the remaining 14,988 proposed Gen2 Starlink satellites, including those proposed for operations above 600 km, the FCC said.
The FCC requires a SpaceX launch and operation of 50% of the authorized Gen2 satellites in their assigned orbits by Dec. 1, 2028, with full deployment required by December 2031.
For first-generation satellites, deployment of the 7,500 approved units must be completed by late November 2027.
In a related move, last week, Starlink announced plans to reconfigure its constellation by lowering the altitude of its satellites from approximately 550 km to 480 km in 2026 to enhance space safety.
In December 2023, Starlink reported that one of its satellites experienced an anomaly at 480 km altitude, resulting in a small amount of debris and loss of communication, a rare kinetic incident for the company. SpaceX has become the world’s largest satellite operator through Starlink, a network of about 9,400 satellites that currently delivers broadband internet to consumers, governments, and enterprise customers.
Looking at the broader industry context in 2024, SEC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel called for increasing competition to SpaceX’s Starlink, noting that Starlink then controlled nearly two-thirds of all active satellites.
The order released this week addresses SpaceX’s request to deploy a larger Gen 2 constellation of up to 30,000 satellites. Instead of approving the entire proposal, the FCC authorized roughly half of the requested satellites and deferred action on the rest. The bureau described the decision as a balancing act between expansion milestones and deadlines, and concerns about orbital congestion and spectrum coordination.
In addition to increasing satellite count, the FCC approved significant changes to Starlink’s orbital design. The order authorizes new orbital shells at lower altitudes, including about 340 km and 365 km, as well as additional shells between 475 km and 485 km. Lower altitudes decrease latency and decrease the time. Non-functional satellites remain in orbit but require more frequent launches to maintain coverage.
Approval also covers spectrum access authorizing Gen 2 operations in the C and X bands and permitting the use of higher-frequency V, E, and W bands, mainly for gateway and backhaul links. The order notes that these authorizations are subject to coordination with other satellite systems and terrestrial services in the same bands.
In the U.S., the FCC approved supplemental coverage from space operations in the 1910-1915 MHz uplink and 1990-1995 MHz downlink bands. For more deployments outside the U.S., the order authorizes direct-to-self mobile satellite service across a wider spectrum of cellular-adjacent frequencies, subject to national regulatory approval in each market.
To support the expansion, the FCC requires SpaceX to launch and operate 50% of the authorized Gen 2 satellites by December 1, 2028. The remainder must be deployed by December 1, 2031. The order also imposes ongoing reporting on collision prevention and satellite disposal. The Bureau may pause further deployments if debris risk thresholds are exceeded.
Deployment of numerous new satellites is likely to raise worries among astronomers regarding light pollution and increased apprehension about space debris and orbital collisions. In response to these concerns, the company lowered the orbits of several satellites earlier this year to reduce collision risk. Nevertheless, the benefits of direct-to-cell connectivity outside the U.S. and Internet speeds of up to 1 Gbps ultimately prevailed.
Increasing Worries
Politicians have expressed concerns about space debris. In response, SpaceX has committed to de-orbiting offline satellites within three years. This effort also enhances US leadership within space technology and supports international collaboration.
Starlink satellites increasingly interfere with astronomical studies due to their brightness, density, and radio signals. Starlink plans to deploy tens of thousands of low-Earth orbit satellites. These satellites reflect sunlight, producing bright streaks that contaminate images from optical telescopes, particularly during twilight observations.
Broad area surveys by major observatories lose valuable data when satellites cross their fields of view. Starlink’s radio signals can also interfere with radio astronomy by masking faint cosmic sources. These joint impacts threaten long-term astronomical studies.
