US regulator FCC approves 7,500 more Starlink satellites

The US Federal Communications Commission has approved SpaceX’s plan to deploy an additional 7,500 second-generation Starlink satellites, bringing its approved total to 15,000.

The FCC said the new satellites can operate across five frequencies, and will offer direct-to-cell connectivity outside the US, as well as supplemental coverage within the country.

The FCC is deferring a decision on SpaceX’s request for nearly 30,000 satellites, approving only 15,000 for now.

SpaceX must launch half of the authorized Gen2 satellites by December 2028, and the rest by December 2031.

The company also needs to finish deploying 7,500 first-generation satellites by November 2027.

🔗 Source: Reuters

🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

FCC expands SpaceX spectrum and power, holds high-altitude Gen2 plan

FCC approved SpaceX to use Earth-to-space (uplink) bands 14.5-14.8 GHz; 17.3-17.8 GHz; 51.4-52.4 GHz; 92.0-94.0 GHz; 94.1-95.0 GHz; 95.0-100.0 GHz; 102.0-109.5 GHz; 111.8-114.25 GHz, plus a space-to-Earth (downlink) band at 18.6-18.8 GHz 1.
SpaceX can use higher power in 10.7-30 GHz bands, pending an FCC rulemaking (the procedure to update regulations) 1.
The agency deferred the remaining 14,988 proposed Gen2 satellites, including missions above 600 km, and approved only 15,000 for now 2.
SpaceX must coordinate with incumbent operators (existing licensed satellite and terrestrial services) and follow lower power in 17.3-17.8 GHz to avoid interference 1.
FCC cleared SpaceX satellites to fly down to 340 kilometers and offer direct-to-cell service (satellites communicating directly with standard smartphones without special antennas) 1.

Phone makers build 3GPP Non-Terrestrial Networks devices with MediaTek, Qualcomm moves to standards-based NTN

MediaTek, a chipset supplier, supports 3GPP NTN (the standards-based approach for direct-to-cell links) so phones can combine cellular with satellite 3.
Chipmaker Qualcomm partnered with six handset makers; Honor; Motorola; Nothing; OPPO; vivo; Xiaomi for Snapdragon Satellite phones on Iridium (a low-Earth orbit operator) 4. That program ended as the market moved to standards-based NTN, and Qualcomm plans standards-based NTN chipsets 5.
Google Pixel 9 series includes NTN hardware, and forthcoming Samsung models will add it too 5.
Skylo, a satellite connectivity platform, runs a commercial NTN service tested with MediaTek for reliable links under open sky (a clear view of the sky) that enables OEM devices with built-in satellite texting without gaps 3.