The Federal Communications Commission approves thousands of new satellites for Elon Musk’s Starlink network, strengthening global broadband capacity and supporting the company’s plans to expand connectivity in underserved regions, including a potential future rollout in India.
Elon Musk’s satellite internet venture Starlink has received a significant regulatory push after the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved SpaceX’s request to expand its second-generation satellite constellation. The decision allows SpaceX to deploy 7,500 additional satellites, effectively doubling the number of Starlink satellites authorised for operation to 15,000.
The approval marks a major milestone for Starlink, which aims to deliver high-speed, low-latency internet services using a dense network of satellites operating in low-Earth orbit. While SpaceX had initially sought permission to launch up to 30,000 satellites, the FCC cleared half that number, citing technical and spectrum considerations.
FCC sets conditions for deployment
Along with approving the expansion, the FCC has set clear timelines for deployment. SpaceX must place at least half of the newly approved second-generation satellites into service by December 2028, with the remaining satellites required to be operational by December 2031. The authorisation also permits SpaceX to operate across five frequency bands and relaxes certain earlier technical constraints.
FCC Chair Brendan Carr described the move as a significant step toward enabling next-generation connectivity. He said the decision would help strengthen competition in the broadband market and expand access to reliable internet services in regions that are poorly served by traditional infrastructure.
Starlink’s satellite system relies on inter-satellite communication, allowing data to be relayed across long distances without relying heavily on ground-based networks. The addition of thousands of satellites is expected to improve coverage, capacity and reliability, particularly in remote and rural areas.
Implications for India and rural connectivity
The expanded satellite network could be especially relevant for markets such as India, where Starlink is seeking regulatory approvals. Senior executives from SpaceX and Starlink have already held discussions with Indian authorities as part of efforts to launch services in the country.
However, Musk has previously acknowledged that Starlink is not designed to replace fibre or mobile networks in dense urban centres. He has said the physics of satellite bandwidth limits make the service better suited for sparsely populated areas. As a result, Starlink’s primary focus remains on rural and hard-to-reach regions where conventional broadband is unreliable, costly or unavailable.
With regulatory momentum building in the US, the latest FCC clearance strengthens Starlink’s position as it looks to scale globally and play a larger role in bridging the digital divide.
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