FCC approves 7,500 additional Starlink Gen2 satellites — service will benefit from higher throughput and lower latency worldwide

The Federal Communications Commission has partially approved a significant expansion of SpaceX’s next-generation Starlink constellation, authorizing 7,500 additional low Earth orbit satellites under a partial grant issued by the agency’s Space Bureau and clearing a major regulatory hurdle for SpaceX’s next phase of Starlink growth. The decision brings the total number of authorized Starlink Gen2 satellites to 15,000, while leaving the remainder of SpaceX’s broader proposal under continued review.

The order, released this week, responds to SpaceX’s request to deploy a much larger Gen2 constellation that would ultimately approach 30,000 satellites. Rather than approving the full plan, the FCC granted authority for roughly half of the requested spacecraft and explicitly deferred action on the remaining satellites. The Bureau framed the decision as a balance between expanding broadband capacity from space and managing growing concerns around orbital congestion and spectrum coordination.

Alongside the increased satellite count, the FCC approved substantial changes to Starlink’s orbital design. The order authorizes new orbital shells at lower altitudes, including ranges around 340km and 365km, as well as additional shells in the 475km to 485km range. Lower altitudes can reduce latency and shorten the time non-functional satellites remain in orbit, but they also require more frequent launches to maintain coverage.

The approval also addresses spectrum access, with the FCC authorizing Gen2 operations across Ku- and Ka-band frequencies, while also approving the use of higher-frequency V-band, E-band, and W-band, primarily for gateway and backhaul links. The order emphasizes that these authorizations remain subject to coordination requirements with other satellite systems and terrestrial services operating in the same bands.

Within the U.S., the FCC approved Supplemental Coverage from Space operations in the 1910-1915 MHz uplink and 1990-1995 MHz downlink bands. For deployments outside the U.S., the order authorizes mobile satellite service direct-to-cell operations across a wider set of cellular-adjacent frequencies, subject to national regulatory approval in each market.

To accompany the expansion, the FCC says SpaceX must have 50% of the newly authorized Gen2 satellites launched and operational by December 1, 2028, with the remainder required by December 1, 2031. The order also includes ongoing reporting obligations regarding collision avoidance and satellite disposal, and it grants the Bureau the authority to pause further deployments if debris risk thresholds are exceeded.

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