SpaceX Files FCC Application for 100,000-Satellite Gen3 Starlink Constellation

SpaceX submitted a comprehensive FCC application on July 6, 2026 seeking authorization for up to 100,000 third-generation Starlink satellites, a dramatic expansion beyond its current Gen2 buildout. The proposed Gen3 system would fly across two very-low-Earth-orbit shells (323-327.5 km and 473-477.5 km altitude) and pioneer new W-band and D-band frequencies (92-275 GHz) alongside SpaceX's existing Ku-, Ka-, V-, and E-band licenses. Each roughly 2,000 kg satellite is designed for up to 1 terabit/second of downlink throughput and 160-200 Gbps of uplink capacity — about a 22-fold increase over current-generation spacecraft — using phased-array beamforming and optical inter-satellite laser links, positioning the constellation as backhaul infrastructure for AI data centers as well as consumer broadband.