The United States authorizes thousands of new Starlink satellites and concerns grow about space saturation

The regulator also allowed key technical changes: new designs for Gen2 satellites, combined use of the Ku, Ka, V, E and W bands, fixed and mobile services from space and greater flexibility in the management of beams and orbital layers between 340 and 485 kilometers, with the aim of optimizing coverage and performance.

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The authorization, however, fell short of what was requested. SpaceX had requested permission to deploy nearly 30,000 Gen2 satellites, but the Federal Communications Commission decided to postpone the remaining half due to the lack of in-orbit testing and doubts about operations at higher altitudes, above 600 kilometers, according to Reuters.

The approval includes strict deadlines: at least half of the authorized satellites must be operational before December 1, 2028 and full deployment before December 2031. In addition, SpaceX must close the first generation before November 2027 and foresees a reconfiguration for 2026 that will reduce the altitude of thousands of units to reduce risks.

The expansion seeks to enable direct mobile connectivity inside and outside the United States, following agreements such as the one reached with T-Mobile, but fuels criticism from the scientific sector. Astronomers warn about trails in images and noise in radio telescopes, while the International Astronomical Union has created a center to protect the “dark and silent sky”, in a debate that also includes orbital saturation and the risk of collisions.