SpaceX is planning an orbital constellation of 100,000 AI satellites: there won’t be enough space in orbit for competitors

SpaceX has submitted an ambitious request to the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to launch and operate a third generation satellite constellation (V3/Gen3). The new network should include up to 100,000 devices, which will allow the company to increase the current number of orbital objects tenfold.

What is known about the Starlink V3 system

The Gen3 system is a non-geostationary orbital network located in two densely packed layers at altitudes between 323–327.5 km and 473–477.5 km. Orbital inclination angles range from 26 to 96.9 degrees, providing global coverage. Each third-generation device will weigh about two tons – almost three times more than the current Gen2 satellites. To launch such heavy structures into orbit, the use of a Starship rocket will be required.

Performance and the role of AI

SpaceX announces a quantum leap in technical performance. A tenfold increase in data download speed (up to 1 Tbit/s) and a 22-fold increase in upstream channel capacity are expected. Combined RF and laser communications can reach about 4 Tbps per satellite.

The company argues that the project is necessary by the fact that the development of AI requires enormous power: “The Gen3 system will provide multi-gigabit symmetric bandwidth to consumers and AI devices around the world. Without such infrastructure, the United States will not be able to remain competitive in the era of the AI ​​revolution.”

Competition and security issues

The scale of the project raises concerns among regulators and competitors. There are currently about 10,700 Starlink satellites in orbit (out of 15,000 authorized). Deploying 100,000 V3 units will make SpaceX a dominant force, 10 times larger than the entire current global fleet of operators.

Astronomers and space traffic control experts are already expressing concern since Starlink is a major source of evasive maneuvers in low Earth orbit. Adding tens of thousands of new objects will make collision monitoring much more difficult. So far, SpaceX has been successfully interacting with regulators, but the upcoming battle for the right to pollute near-Earth space promises to be difficult.

The early bird catches the worm

The FCC’s decision has not yet been made, but SpaceX’s intention to capture the AI communications market is clear. The company strives to displace competitors as quickly as possible, using its technological and financial capabilities. The cost of such launches is not directly disclosed, but it can be assumed that the scalability of the Starlink system will significantly reduce costs per user in the future.