The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has granted SpaceX permission to launch and operate 7,500 next-generation (Gen2) Starlink satellites, doubling the Gen2 approvals to 15,000.
SpaceX currently operates around 9,400 satellites in orbit, of which roughly 6,200 are Gen2, and the new satellites are expected to deliver improved coverage and faster service through upgraded communications technology.
“This FCC authorization is a game-changer for enabling next-generation services,” said FCC chairman Brendan Carr. “By authorizing 15,000 new and advanced satellites, the FCC has given SpaceX the green light to deliver unprecedented satellite broadband capabilities, strengthen competition, and help ensure that no community is left behind.”
The commission also approved operating most of the new satellites in slightly lower orbits, between 340 km and 485 km above Earth, a shift SpaceX says should boost coverage and reduce latency versus the company’s earlier devices that typically orbited around 500 km.
In addition to the launches, SpaceX has secured an EPFD waiver and permission to operate in multiple frequency bands—Ku, Ka, V, E, and W—for Fixed Satellite Service (FSS) and Mobile Satellite Service (MSS). The combined measures are expected to support gigabit-speed satellite broadband and enable Starlink’s future direct-to-device (D2D) capabilities, including voice and data services.
As part of the ruling, SpaceX has pledged to launch and place into operation 50% of the Gen2 satellites by December 1, 2028, with the remainder by December 2031. The FCC, however, deferred authorization for the remaining 14,988 Gen2 satellites, including those proposed for operations above 600 km, in an effort to curb orbital congestion and debris risks. SpaceX also indicated plans to reduce the orbits of around 4,400 existing satellites to help shorten debris clearance times and lower collision risk, a response to concerns about the Kessler Syndrome that emerged after a satellite split-debris event last year.
Overall, regulators’ approval and frequency-band freedoms position Starlink to scale gigabit-speed coverage more consistently, while continuing a broader debate about space traffic management as the constellation grows.
