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Changes log · Rules & regulators
FCC approves 7,500 more Starlink Gen2 satellites, to 15,000 total
On Jan 9, 2026, the FCC approved SpaceX's request to operate another 7,500 second-generation Starlink satellites, bringing the approved Gen2 total to 15,000. It also approved more spectrum and lower orbits. It doesn't change any code or checkout rule.
Reported, not confirmedBackground
Change dated Published
BackgroundThis change happened more than 90 days before we published this post. It’s here for context, because it still shapes what a US buyer sees today. Check the source date before relying on it.
Reported, not confirmedPart of this post rests on third-party reporting we couldn’t confirm on a Starlink page. Those parts are labelled. We re-check Starlink’s pages weekly.
The short version
- What changed?
- Broadband Breakfast reported that the FCC granted SpaceX authority for 7,500 more Gen2 satellites, for a Gen2 total of 15,000. The grant also covered additional frequency bands and operation down to 340 km.
- When did it change?
- FCC approval Jan 9, 2026, as reported by Broadband Breakfast the same day. We read the report on Oct 6, 2026.
- Who is affected?
- Indirectly, every Starlink customer, because more satellites and spectrum add network capacity over time. Nobody's code, referral or checkout is affected.
- What should you do now?
- Nothing. Treat any "FCC Starlink discount code" or "government satellite promo" as false. The FCC grant has nothing to do with prices or codes.
- What stays the same?
- US plans, prices, the referral free month and the link-only route for codes are all unchanged by this approval.
What happened
On Friday, Jan 9, 2026, the Federal Communications Commission approved a SpaceX application to operate an additional 7,500 Gen2 Starlink satellites. Broadband Breakfast reported the decision the same day. The approval doubles the number of second-generation satellites SpaceX may operate, to 15,000. According to the report, SpaceX had more than 5,000 Gen2 satellites in orbit at the time.
Broadband Breakfast also reported that the FCC:
- approved operation in additional frequency bands for links between users and satellites, which SpaceX said it needs to work toward “symmetrical download and upload speeds”
- allowed satellites to operate at altitudes down to 340 kilometers
This post is labelled Background, since the approval is more than 90 days old. It’s also labelled Reported, because we’ve read the decision through press coverage rather than the FCC’s own order.
Why it’s on a code site
Two reasons. First, big regulatory news tends to be reused by scam ads. “FCC approves Starlink, claim your government discount code” is a familiar pattern. Nothing in the approval involves prices, discounts or codes. It authorizes satellites and spectrum. Our myths page collects these claims.
Second, capacity is the background to most of 2026’s pricing news. Starlink’s help center connects price changes and congestion management to network capacity, and its area discounts are tied to where SpaceX is investing. More satellites mean more capacity over time. But Starlink hasn’t said how this approval will change prices, and we won’t predict it.
What you can check now
- Nothing to do for an order. The referral route, plans and checkout are unchanged.
- If you see an ad that links an “FCC” or “government” program to a Starlink code, don’t enter payment details on the site it links to.
- Our FAQ answers “Is there a Starlink promo code?” with the current state.
What stays the same
There’s no public US promo code and no code box at checkout. The referral free month is still delivered only through a referral link.
What we don’t know yet
- We read the approval through Broadband Breakfast's report, not the FCC order itself, so this post is labelled Reported (checked 2026-10-06).
- Starlink hasn't said how or when the extra satellites will change speeds or availability at any particular US address.
Sources
“SpaceX seeks to operate in additional, contiguous spectrum in order to achieve symmetrical download and upload speeds”
Something out of date? Report it.
Corrections log
No corrections yet. If we fix anything here, the date, what was wrong and what’s right now will be listed in this box.
Independent · not affiliated with SpaceX. The site owner may get a referral reward if you order Starlink with the site’s referral code; that never decides what we report, and nothing in this post depends on whether you use a code. How this site makes money · How we check claims.