SpaceX is seeking regulatory approval to significantly expand its Starlink satellite internet network, with plans to deploy as many as 100,000 third-generation (Gen3) Starlink satellites. The proposal, submitted to the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC), is part of the company’s long-term strategy to increase network capacity and deliver faster, more reliable broadband services worldwide.
According to SpaceX, the next-generation satellite constellation is designed to provide ultra-low-latency, multi-gigabit symmetrical internet speeds, representing a substantial improvement over the current Starlink network. The company believes the expanded constellation would dramatically boost total bandwidth, enabling better performance for both residential and business customers.
Despite these ambitious claims, current Starlink performance still falls well short of the proposed multi-gigabit experience. While the service is advertised with peak download speeds of around 300Mbps to 400Mbps or higher under ideal conditions, real-world performance is often considerably lower. Independent testing has shown that users typically experience much more modest download and upload speeds during everyday use.
If approved, the Gen3 deployment would mark one of the largest satellite network expansions ever proposed. However, achieving the promised performance gains will depend not only on launching the additional satellites but also on improvements to ground infrastructure, user terminals, and overall network management as Starlink continues to scale its global broadband service.