EuroWire, WASHINGTON: U.S. regulators have approved SpaceX to deploy an additional 7,500 Starlink satellites, expanding the company’s low Earth orbit broadband network under conditions set by the Federal Communications Commission. The decision increases the number of second generation Starlink satellites SpaceX is authorized to launch to 15,000 and marks a further step in the continued buildout of the largest satellite constellation currently operating.
The Federal Communications Commission said the approval covers 7,500 satellites from SpaceX’s second generation Starlink system, known as Gen2. SpaceX had previously sought authorization for nearly 30,000 additional satellites, but the commission approved only part of that request. Consideration of the remaining satellites proposed by the company was deferred, leaving further expansion subject to future regulatory review.
According to the commission, the newly approved satellites will operate across multiple frequency bands, including Ku, Ka and E band spectrum. The authorization also allows SpaceX to modify certain operational parameters, including adjustments related to satellite altitude and coverage overlap. The FCC said these changes were evaluated under existing rules governing spectrum use, orbital debris mitigation and interference protection for other satellite operators.
Deployment deadlines set by US regulators
The commission set deployment deadlines tied to the new authorization. SpaceX is required to launch and place into service half of the newly approved Gen2 satellites by Dec. 1, 2028. The remaining satellites must be launched and operational by December 2031. Separately, SpaceX must complete deployment of 7,500 previously authorized satellites from an earlier approval by late November 2027 to maintain its current licenses.
SpaceX told regulators it plans to operate the additional satellites at lower orbital altitudes than earlier generations of the Starlink system. The company said the revised orbit, expected to be around 480 kilometers above Earth, is intended to meet FCC requirements related to orbital safety and post mission disposal. Lower altitudes allow satellites to naturally deorbit more quickly at the end of their operational life, reducing the duration that non functioning spacecraft remain in orbit.
Gen2 Starlink satellites included in latest approval
The Starlink network already consists of thousands of operational satellites providing broadband internet service to residential, commercial and government customers. FCC filings indicate that SpaceX has launched more than 9,000 Starlink satellites since the program began, with several thousand currently active in orbit. The system delivers internet service to users in dozens of countries and is designed to provide coverage in remote and underserved areas where terrestrial infrastructure is limited or unavailable.
The FCC decision follows ongoing scrutiny of large satellite constellations from regulators, astronomers and other satellite operators. Federal rules require operators to coordinate spectrum use, limit interference and comply with debris mitigation standards. The commission said its approval reflects a balance between expanding broadband access and enforcing technical safeguards intended to protect space based services and the orbital environment.