SpaceX

FCC Approves 7,500 More Starlink Gen2 Satellites

The agency said the move would improve SpaceX’s satellite broadband service.

Jake Neenan

Jan 9, 2026 — 3 min read

Photo of Elon Musk by Evan Vucci/AP

WASHINGTON, Jan. 9, 2026 – The Federal Communications Commission on Friday approved SpaceX’s request to launch an additional 7,500 of its Starlink Gen2 satellites, bringing the total allowed Gen2 constellation to 15,000.

The agency also granted the company’s request to operate in additional spectrum bands and to operate at higher power in other bands between 10.7-30 GigaHertz (GHz), pending the completion of an existing FCC rulemaking where the question is being considered.

“We grant this waiver subject to the completion of and rules adopted in the pending rulemaking,” the agency wrote in its order. “SpaceX must bring its operations into compliance with any new rules upon the effective date of those rules. To address claims that SpaceX’s operations in exceedance of the [power] limits could cause interference to [geostationary orbit satellite] networks, we condition SpaceX’s operations to ensure GSO operators are protected.”

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SpaceX Satellite FCC Elon Musk Brendan Carr

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