SpaceX Wants 100,000 Satellites in Orbit: What Changes for Starlink Users
SpaceX has requested permission from the FCC to launch 100,000 third-generation (Gen3) Starlink satellites, a significant scale-up that would complement the already orbiting Gen1 and Gen2 constellations. The company promises a network with "ultra-low latency" capable of multi-gigabit symmetric bandwidth, but the recent history of Starlink urges caution regarding speed claims.
The advertised peak currently caps at "up to" 300-400 Mbps for downloads, while real-world usage shows much lower figures. On the more expensive residential plan, the Residential Max, average speeds recorded remain in the range of 145 to 170 Mbps for downloads and just below 40 Mbps for uploads.
Currently, there are nearly 11,000 Starlink satellites in orbit. The new Gen3 units weigh over 2,000 kilograms, more than double the current average mass, making it impractical to launch them in significant numbers with Falcon 9 rockets. Elon Musk has pointed to Starship, still far from routine operational capability, as the necessary vehicle for this launch campaign, while the company would use Falcon Heavy in the meantime to maintain the deployment pace.
In the submitted documentation, SpaceX describes Gen3 as a network designed not only for end consumers but also for enterprise clients, government agencies, and "billions of AI-based devices" worldwide. It’s not an orbital data center, but the direction indicated is indeed towards that goal.
A Huge Radio Spectrum and the Risk of Interference with Other Networks
The frequency request is equally ambitious: bands Ku, Ka, V, E, W, and D, with the downlink covering the ranges 10.7-13.4 GHz, 17.3-21.2 GHz, and 37.5-42.5 GHz, and the uplink reaching up to about 231.5-275 GHz. SpaceX is also requesting waivers from FCC rules such as Section 2.106 to assemble broader contiguous channels intended for fronthaul, backhaul, and massive uplink.
Such a portion of the spectrum could interfere with competing satellite services and other wireless networks: SpaceX claims to be ready to operate on an unprotected basis and to coordinate in good faith with existing operators. For users, this means needing to replace current antennas and terminals to truly leverage the promised gigabit speeds, hardware that the company announces will be available soon.
According to the documentation, the combination of new hardware and additional spectrum would lead to an increase of approximately one hundred times the total available bandwidth on the Starlink network. The actual latency, currently between 30 and 50 milliseconds for most users, would, according to the company's promises, drop below 20 milliseconds.
On the pricing front, SpaceX has not yet revealed the rates for Gen3, but a significantly higher positioning is plausible given the scale of the infrastructure investment. However, competition remains weak: Amazon’s Project Kuiper is in its commercial infancy, Eutelsat-OneWeb primarily targets the business market, while geostationary operators like Hughesnet and Viasat are lagging to the extent that Hughesnet has struck a deal to redirect its customers to Starlink.
The practice will now undergo scrutiny by the FCC's Space Bureau, with a public consultation phase during which rivals and associations can present objections or request changes to the proposal. Approval is not guaranteed and could come with stringent conditions on debris mitigation, spectrum coordination, and interference protection, given the unconventional nature of the very high-frequency bands sought for Gen3.
Resistance is not lacking from the scientific community: a study has already discussed "devastating effects on astronomy" from large satellite constellations, with Starlink at the forefront. If the FCC grants even part of the request, Gen3 would nonetheless redefine the very scale of global satellite broadband.