FCC Authorizes SpaceX to Launch Internet Satellites in Low Earth Orbit

Companies such as OneWeb and Kepler Communications objected to SpaceX's request, fearing Starlink would interfere with their own satellites, but the FCC did not believe that these satellites would create "significant" interference. The regulators have also not found any significant risk of collision on the new orbit, noting that each of the satellites would be equipped with thrusters to perform avoidance maneuvers.

For SpaceX, approval can arrive very quickly. In addition to competitors such as OneWeb, the company is facing impending rivalries, such as the 3,236 satellites planned by Amazon. If SpaceX is to meet the terms of the FCC approval and launch more than half of its planned 11,000 Starlink satellites within six years, it will likely wish to start as soon as possible.