SpaceX wants to launch 100,000 more Starlink satellites - for 100x the bandwidth
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ZDNET's key takeaways
- Starlink's 100,000 satellites will dwarf existing constellations.
- When deployed, SpaceX promises the network will deliver gigabit speeds.
- When it comes to satellite internet, Starlink has no real competition.
Do you like Starlink internet? If so, you'll love that its parent company, SpaceX, has applied to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for permission to launch 100,000 third-generation (Gen3) Starlink satellites. The upshot for users? SpaceX promises to deliver "ultra-low-latency" multi-gigabit symmetrical broadband.
Now, I'll believe that when I see it. Today's advertised peak is "up to" around 300 to 400+ Mbps down, but typical real-world speeds are much lower. Over at ZDNET's sister publication, PCMag, reviewer Brian Westover found that even on Starlink's top home plan, the Residential Max plan, mean download speeds plateaued in the 145 megabits per second (Mbps) to 170 Mbps range, with upload speeds of just under 40 Mbps.
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That's plodding compared to my home AT&T Internet fiber, which, day in and day out, delivers 2.1 gigabits per second (Gbps) download and upload speeds. I never would have dreamed of such speeds when I was still using a 300-baud modem. But these days, almost no one uses modems, and if you're not living in a broadband-rich area, you may not have access to fiber internet. For people like Westover, who lives in rural Idaho, Starlink isn't just great; it's a necessity.
SpaceX's Gen3 filing
In its FCC application, SpaceX seeks authority to deploy a Gen3 Starlink system in very low Earth orbit (LEO). The filing positions Gen3 as a successor and expansion beyond the existing Gen1 and Gen2 constellations. Today, there are nearly 11,000 Starlink satellites in orbit. If approved, Starlink will launch and operate 100,000 satellites.
These Gen3 satellites will weigh more than 2,000 kilograms, or over two tons. That means SpaceX won't be able to launch a meaningful number of satellites at once using its workhorse Falcon 9 rockets. Instead, CEO Elon Musk has said SpaceX will need to use Starship, which still isn't ready for prime time. In the meantime, Falcon Heavy rockets would be able to launch sufficient Gen3 satellites to deliver the service.
SpaceX has told the FCC that the Gen3 network is intended to serve not only consumers and enterprises but also government customers and "billions of AI-powered devices worldwide," tying the constellation directly to projected compute and data-transport demands from large-scale AI systems. This is no AI data center in space, but it's a step in that direction.
Massive spectrum request
The application seeks access to an unusually broad span of spectrum, including Ku-, Ka-, V-, E-, W-, and D-band frequencies. Downlink bands cited in the filing include 10.7 to 13.4 GHz, 17.3 to 21.2 GHz, and 37.5 to 42.5 GHz, while uplink bands span multiple ranges up to approximately 231.5 to 275 GHz. SpaceX requests waivers of FCC rules, such as Section 2.106, to assemble larger contiguous channels for high-capacity fronthaul, backhaul, and massive uplink.
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All this means Gen3 could interfere with rival satellite internet services and other wireless services. SpaceX promises to operate on a noninterference, nonprotected basis and to engage in "good-faith coordination" with incumbents and federal users.
For you, that means you'll need to upgrade your existing Starlink user terminals and antennas to make the most of the new satellite constellation's gigabit speeds. This upgraded end-user hardware is expected to be available shortly.
According to the filing, SpaceX claims the hardware and spectrum plan can deliver on the order of a 100-fold increase in total Starlink bandwidth. Starlink's current real-world latency is roughly 30 to 50 ms for most users. Gen3, SpaceX promises, will drop that to below 20 ms.
Starlink rivals
Starlink's highest residential rate is now $130 a month. While SpaceX hasn't announced rates for its new Gen3 service, I expect it to be at least $200 a month, and I won't be surprised if it ends up being $300 a month.
Also: How I turned my Starlink Mini into the ultimate off-grid internet device
Starlink's main satellite broadband rivals are Amazon Leo, Eutelsat-OneWeb, and forthcoming systems such as Telesat Lightspeed and Blue Origin's TeraWave. Moreover, legacy geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO) players Hughesnet and Viasat are still in business.
However, when I say rivals, I'm being kind. Amazon Leo is only now getting ready to deliver the internet to customers, while Eutelsat-OneWeb is really a business-first network and not for Joe User. Meanwhile, GEO players are starting to go out of business. They simply can't deliver the speed today's demanding customers need. Nothing spells that out more than Hughesnet's recent deal with SpaceX to refer its customers to Starlink.
Next steps at the FCC
The application will move through the FCC's Space Bureau process, including a public notice and comment period during which rivals and interest groups can file petitions to deny, seek conditions, or propose modifications to SpaceX's plans. Approval is not guaranteed, and any eventual grant could include strict conditions around debris mitigation, spectrum coordination, and interference protections, especially given the nonconforming high-frequency bands SpaceX wants to use for Gen3.
Additionally, astromers are strenuously objecting to Starlink's plans. A recent European Southern Observatory study argues that large constellations, specifically Starlink, would have "devastating effects on astronomy."
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Still, if the FCC signs off on even a substantial fraction of the 100,000-satellite request, Gen3 Starlink would redefine the scale of satellite broadband. It would also certainly ensure that, going forward, Starlink will be almost everyone's first choice for satellite internet.
Facts Only
* SpaceX applied to the FCC for permission to launch 100,000 Gen3 Starlink satellites.
* The promised outcome for users is "ultra-low-latency" multi-gigabit symmetrical broadband.
* Typical real-world download speeds on the Residential Max plan are between 145 Mbps and 170 Mbps, with upload speeds under 40 Mbps.
* Real-world latency for current Starlink is approximately 30 to 50 ms for most users.
* Gen3 is projected to reduce latency to below 20 ms.
* Gen3 satellites will weigh more than 2,000 kilograms.
* SpaceX intends to use Starship for launching these satellites, as Falcon 9 rockets cannot launch them in meaningful numbers at once.
* The application seeks access to Ku-, Ka-, V-, E-, W-, and D-band frequencies.
* SpaceX requests waivers of FCC rules, such as Section 2.106, for larger contiguous channels.
* Rival satellite internet services include Amazon Leo, Eutelsat-OneWeb, Hughesnet, and Viasat.
* Some astromers object to the plan due to potential effects on astronomy.
Executive Summary
Full Take
The narrative frames a technological leap—a 100x bandwidth increase and vastly reduced latency via Gen3 satellites—as an inevitability that demands regulatory navigation, positioning Starlink as a necessity rather than a luxury, especially in underserved areas. The tension lies between the promised performance gains (gigabit speeds, ultra-low latency) and the practical realities of deployment constraints (launch vehicle capacity, spectrum coordination, and environmental impact). The argument subtly shifts from consumer utility to geopolitical infrastructure, linking the constellation directly to AI compute demands, which introduces a layer of systemic consequence beyond mere bandwidth. The persistent skepticism raised by external observers, such as the objections from astromers regarding large constellations, suggests that the pursuit of scale may introduce externalities that are not accounted for in the initial deployment framework. The focus on spectrum requests and interference coordination highlights a conflict between maximizing technological capacity and maintaining a functional, non-interfering shared environment. When examining the competition, the relative weakness of existing GEO providers compared to the potential impact of a successful Gen3 rollout suggests a power shift is imminent, regardless of immediate commercial performance metrics.
Patterns detected: ARC-0024 Ambiguity, ARC-0017 Authority Game
Sentinel — Human
The text reads as an opinionated, synthesized journalistic piece that skillfully blends technical facts with personal viewpoints, indicating likely human authorship.