SpaceX filed an FCC application to operate a 100,000-satellite constellation of "Gen3" Starlink spacecraft in low Earth orbit, according to satellite tracker Jonathan McDowell. The move would expand SpaceX's current operational fleet of nearly 10,800 Starlink satellites plus roughly 4,000 more already approved. Each Gen3 satellite will be substantially larger than current versions, weighing 4,400 to 5,500 pounds compared to 1,760 pounds for the V2 Mini variants SpaceX launches today.
The Gen3 satellites' size -- with solar arrays spanning 3,230 to 4,300 square feet versus 1,250 square feet for V2 Minis -- means they will likely require Starship rather than Falcon 9 for deployment. SpaceX is also pursuing a separate megaconstellation called Starmind with a million satellites intended as orbital data centers. These expansion plans come as Amazon, Blue Origin, and other operators build competing LEO constellations, while astronomers and environmental groups raise concerns about orbital crowding and impacts on observations and the night sky.