SpaceX begins launching second-generation Starlink satellites with four times network capacity

Elon Musk’s SpaceX has launched the first batch of its next-generation Starlink internet satellites as the company upgrades and expands its in-orbit network.

A Falcon 9 rocket carried 21 of the satellites, known as the “V2 Mini” satellites, into orbit on Monday. The satellites represent the first iteration of Starlink’s “Gen2” plans, which the Federal Communications Commission cleared in December.

Musk shared a video V2 Mini satellites exiting the rocket into orbit. While launches of its first-generation models carried around 50 to 60 satellites at a time, the new spacecraft are bigger and heavier than before, meaning each Falcon 9 launch carries fewer. The company plans to eventually use its Starship rocket, which is under development, for future second-generation Starlink missions.

SpaceX highlighted the enhanced capabilities of the V2 Minis before launch, such as “more powerful phased array antennas” and “new argon Hall thrusters” for on-orbit maneuvering. The company said the V2 Mini satellites add about four times more network capacity per satellite compared to previous iterations.

Notably, Monday also marked the 100th consecutive occasion that SpaceX has attempted and successfully landed a Falcon 9 rocket booster after a launch — a streak dating back to Feb. 16, 2021. The company is performing orbital rocket launches at a rate unprecedented, with one mission approximately every four days on average in 2023.

The company has launched approximately 4,000 Starlink satellites to date, with its network reaching 1 million subscribers in December across a variety of product offerings – with services for residential, commercial, RV, marine and aeronautics.

Last week, SpaceX adjusted pricing for its residential Starlink service based on capacity demands.