The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said it approved SpaceX’s plan to launch up to 7,500 satellites but put off some other decisions.
SpaceX’s Starlink is a network of more than 3,500 satellites in low-Earth orbit that is growing quickly. It already has tens of thousands of users in the United States, who pay at least $599 for a user terminal and $110 per month for service. In 2018, the FCC agreed to let SpaceX use up to 4,425 first-generation satellites.
SpaceX has asked for permission to run a network of 29,988 satellites that will be called its “second-generation” or “Gen2” Starlink constellation. This network will send the Internet to places that don’t have access to the Internet or have very little access.
In its order of approval, the FCC said, “Our action will allow SpaceX to start deploying Gen2 Starlink, which will bring next-generation satellite broadband to all Americans.” It also said, “This will enable satellite broadband service around the world, helping to close the digital divide on a global scale.”
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The FCC said that its decision “will protect other satellite and terrestrial operators from harmful interference and maintain a safe space environment” and “protect spectrum and orbital resources for future use.”
In August, a US appeals court upheld the FCC’s decision to let SpaceX put some Starlink satellites in a lower Earth orbit than planned. This was part of SpaceX’s plan to offer broadband Internet from space.
In September, SpaceX fought the FCC’s decision to not give it $885.5 million in broadband subsidies for rural areas. In August, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said that Starlink’s technology “has real promise,” but that it couldn’t meet the program’s requirements. She pointed to data showing that speeds have been going down steadily over the past year and said that consumers couldn’t afford the service’s price.
