Elon Musk’s SpaceX has secured permission to launch a further 7,500 Starlink satellites to add to its space-based internet network. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) also approved upgrades to the firm’s Gen2 satellites that will allow it to expand its broadband and mobile services to more parts of the world.

Elon Musk’s satellite internet gamble just cleared a major regulatory hurdle, with US officials signing off on thousands of new spacecraft that will crowd into low Earth orbit. The latest approval dramatically expands the scale of Starlink’s second-generation network and sets up a fresh round of battles over spectrum,

Compare top satellite internet providers by speed, coverage, pricing, and reliability. Starlink leads, while Viasat and Hughesnet offer rural alternatives.

The Federal Communications Commission has given SpaceX approval to launch another 7,500 of its second generation Starlink satellites.

The approval will let SpaceX deploy a batch of 7,500 Gen2 Starlink satellites, bringing direct-to-cell (DTC) connectivity outside the U.S. and supplemental coverage inside

SpaceX recently released its 2025 Progress Report for Starlink, outlining a year of rapid expansion, major performance gains, and the global rollout of its satellite-to-phone service known as Starlink Direct to Cell.

When the Iranian government hits the switch on nationwide connectivity, protest videos do not stop, they simply reroute. The secret is a mesh of suitcase-sized dishes and low-orbit satellites that let Iranians bypass the state's chokehold and push footage of crackdowns onto global platforms.

SpaceX launched 29 more Starlink satellites from Florida, reused a veteran Falcon 9 booster, and inched closer to global internet coverage, raising questions about how fast the constellation will grow next.

Starlink is moving from an experimental satellite network into a core part of global internet infrastructure. With thousands of low-Earth orbit satellites in operation, the system now delivers high-speed connectivity to regions once considered unreachable.

British police forces could use Elon Musk’s Starlink for emergency phone communications under plans to support a long-delayed overhaul of the forces’ radio system.

Starlink is separately planning to launch yet another 15,000 satellites that are designed for mobile service. SpaceX asked the FCC to approve this plan in September 2025, saying the “new system will offer a new generation of MSS connectivity, supporting voice, texting, and high-speed data.”