Overview
- The FCC approved 7,500 additional second‑generation Starlink satellites, bringing authorized Gen2 capacity to 15,000.
- Regulators permitted operations across five bands spanning 10.7–30 GHz, higher power levels, and lower orbital shells down to about 340 km.
- The order enables service up to 1 Gbps, direct‑to‑cell connectivity outside the U.S., and supplemental mobile coverage domestically.
- Approval of roughly 14,988 more satellites from SpaceX’s near‑30,000 plan was deferred pending in‑orbit performance testing and safety assessments.
- SpaceX must deploy 50% of the authorized Gen2 satellites by Dec. 1, 2028 and the remainder by December 2031, complete Gen1 by late November 2027, coordinate to mitigate interference, and address objections from rivals as it expands spectrum access through an EchoStar deal and a T‑Mobile lease.