FCC Approves SpaceX Plan for 15,000 Gen2 Starlink Satellites

The US Federal Communications Commission has approved a major expansion of SpaceX’s second-generation Starlink system, authorising the company to construct, deploy and operate up to 15,000 Gen2 satellites.

The decision clears SpaceX to add 7,500 satellites to its existing Gen2 authorisation and significantly expands the regulatory foundation for future Starlink broadband and direct-to-device services. The FCC said the approval is intended to support faster, lower-latency satellite broadband, enhanced mobile services and supplemental coverage from space.

The authorisation allows SpaceX to upgrade its Gen2 satellites with new form factors and operate across Ku-, Ka-, V-, E- and W-band frequencies for fixed and mobile satellite services. It also adds new orbital shells at altitudes between roughly 340km and 485km, with some reporting pointing to very low operating altitudes around 326km to 335km for mobile-focused spacecraft.

The lower orbital altitudes could help reduce latency and improve link performance, but they also imply a faster replacement cycle because satellites experience greater atmospheric drag closer to Earth. That may increase long-term capital and launch requirements as SpaceX scales the constellation.

For Starlink Mobile, the approval is especially significant. The FCC order supports SpaceX’s plans for direct-to-cell services in the US and internationally, including use of spectrum acquired from EchoStar and T-Mobile’s PCS G-block frequencies. Current Starlink Mobile deployments are still focused on messaging and light data, but SpaceX has outlined a roadmap toward higher-capacity 5G-like services.

The FCC also granted waivers linked to beam coverage and network capacity, while deferring or limiting parts of SpaceX’s request. The agency did not approve access to the 2020–2025MHz band in the US, and restrictions apply in some US territories where spectrum rights are held by other operators.