Pcmag report that SpaceX has announced plans to launch its next-generation “V3” Starlink satellites, which will significantly boost the network’s capacity and speed. According to the company’s annual progress report, each V3 satellite will feature 1 terabit per second (Tbps) of download bandwidth, a 10-fold increase over the current V2 mini satellites.
The V3 satellites will also have 160 gigabits per second (Gbps) of uplink capacity, a 24-fold increase over the V2 mini satellites. This upgrade will enable SpaceX to offer gigabit speeds to Starlink subscribers, a significant improvement over the current speeds of 100-200 megabits per second (Mbps) in the US.
The report also reveals that Starlink’s cumulative network capacity has reached nearly 350 Tbps. With the launch of the V3 satellites, each Starship mission will add 60 Tbps of capacity to the network, more than 20 times the capacity added with each V2 mini launch on Falcon 9.
SpaceX Vice President for Starlink Engineering, Michael Nicolls, noted that the V3 satellites will enable the system to scale more efficiently, improve the uplink-to-downlink capacity ratio, and deliver gigabit connectivity to individual user terminals.
While the exact timeline for the launch of the V3 satellites is unclear, SpaceX is planning another test launch of its Starship vehicle on January 10. The company has also established a manufacturing facility in Texas that can produce up to 5.5 million Starlink dishes per year.
As of now, Starlink serves over 4.6 million active customers worldwide, and the upgrade to V3 satellites is expected to further expand the network’s capabilities and user base.
