SpaceX just secured another big green light for Starlink.
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said Friday that it has approved the launch of 7,500 additional second‑generation (Gen2) Starlink satellites. That brings SpaceX’s total authorized Starlink constellation to 15,000 satellites worldwide.
The new authorization is about more than raw numbers. The FCC says the decision allows these Gen2 satellites to operate across five different frequency bands and to support direct‑to‑cell connectivity outside the United States, plus supplemental coverage on U.S. territory.
SpaceX had asked for far more. Reuters reports that the company requested approval for another 15,000 Gen2 satellites. The FCC drew a line, saying it would “defer authorization of the remaining 14,988 proposed Gen2 Starlink satellites.”
There are also firm deployment deadlines. According to the FCC, SpaceX must launch 50% of the newly approved satellites by December 1, 2028. The remaining 50% have to be in orbit by December 2031.
With this move, regulators are giving SpaceX more room to scale Starlink’s global broadband footprint, while keeping tight control over how fast the megaconstellation actually grows.
