FCC Clears Colossal Starlink Satellite Expansion
The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has approved SpaceX—owned by Elon Musk—to launch an additional 7,500 second-generation Starlink satellites, raising the total number of authorized Starlink satellites worldwide to 15,000. The decision is being viewed as a major milestone in the evolution of next-generation satellite internet services, Reuters reported.
According to the FCC, the newly approved satellites will be able to operate across multiple frequency bands, with several previous restrictions eased to enhance overall network capacity.
The expanded satellite constellation will enable direct-to-mobile connectivity outside the United States and provide additional coverage within the country. This expansion is expected to support internet speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second.
Under the terms of the approval, SpaceX must launch and begin operating at least 50 percent of the authorized satellites by December 2028. The remaining satellites are required to be deployed into orbit by 2031.
Currently operating around 9,400 satellites, SpaceX stands as the world’s largest satellite operator.
DBTech/BMT/OR
