SpaceX is now putting its cash-rich coffers to good use by significantly ramping up the planned launch cadence for its Gen3 (alternatively called the V3) constellation of satellites, as evidenced by a recent FCC filing that seeks authorization for launching as many as 100,000 satellites.
SpaceX now wants to place 100,000 Gen3 satellites in very-low Earth orbit shells, with each satellite weighing as much as 2,000 kg
For the benefit of those who might not be aware, SpaceX's Gen2 Starlink satellites currently offer a higher capacity and lower latency vs. their Gen1 counterparts, while allowing for:
- A 20x increase in throughput
- Direct-to-Cell capability by allowing Gen2 satellites to connect to unmodified cellular handsets.
- Greater orbital maneuverability and autonomous collission avoidance system.
Also, SpaceX recently unveiled its first dedicated satellite design for AI compute. Dubbed the AI1 satellite, it can support up to 150kW of peak compute payload, replete with liquid radiators, meteoride shielding, a centralized compute module, and deployable solar arrays. These satellites will be manufactured at SpaceX's Gigasat facility in Texas.
While AI1 satellites are currently not in production, SpaceX appears ready to commence the mass production of its Gen3 satellites, as evidenced by its latest FCC filing.
Here is what we know so far about these Gen3 satellites:
- Testing has commenced ahead of full deployment.
- The Gen3 satellites entail fundamental re-architecturing of the Gen2 or V2 design.
- Each satellite weighs 2,000 kg vs. a mass of just 575 kg for the Gen2.
- The Gen3 is designed for very-low Earth orbit or VLEO, which corresponds to an altitude of just around 350 km.
- A 10x increase in downlink capacity to 1 Tbps.
- A 22x increase in uplink capacity to 160-200 Gbps.
- Combined RF and laser backhaul capacity at ~4 Tbps per satellite.
- The larger central bus is equipped with advanced phased array antennas and longer solar arrays.
- Because of their higher mass, Gen3 satellites can only be launched via the SpaceX Starship.
- Next-generation onboard computers and modems.
- Argon Hall thrusters for station-keeping.
- The constellation employs advanced phased-array beamforming, electronic beam steering, optical inter-satellite links, and dynamic power control for spectrum sharing and interference mitigation.
According to SpaceX's FCC filing, the Gen3 constellation will operate at nominal altitudes of 323–327.5 km and 473–477.5 km with inclinations from 26° to 96.9°.
The system will leverage Ku-, Ka-, V-, E-, W-, and D-band spectrum, including 10.7–13.4 GHz, 17.3–21.2 GHz, 37.5–42.5 GHz downlink bands as well as multiple uplink ones up to 231.5–275 GHz.
Of course, given the significant amount of changes that SpaceX is bringing with its Gen3 satellites, existing Starlink user terminals and dish hardware will need an upgrade to fully leverage the constellation's enhanced downlink capacity and gigabit speeds.
Finally, do note that SpaceX recently also asked for an authorization to launch as many as 1 million satellites as the first tangible step towards a "Kardashev II-level civilization." That filing is separate from this one and the two remain unrelated for now.
About the author: Writing is my one incontrovertible passion. Over the past six years, he has authored over 2,200 distinct articles on financial and tech-related topics, spanning nearly 1 million words. And he has been a member of Wcctech mobile team since 2025. As an alumnus of the University of Toronto, Rotman Commerce Program, I bring nuance, in-depth knowledge, and a unique perspective to every topic that I cover. When I'm not writing, I'm traveling the world, exploring hidden confectionaries and restaurants as an aspiring food connoisseur.
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