FCC Licenses SpaceX Gateway Stations in Five States
The Federal Communications Commission granted SpaceX licenses for 36 next-generation ground gateway stations after Iridium withdrew its objections.
Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in Data Centers
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The FCC granted SpaceX licenses to operate 36 next-generation gateway stations in California, Colorado, Missouri, Texas, and Washington. Iridium had objected over possible radio interference with its satellite network but withdrew its petitions last month.
Why it matters
Starlink relies on ground gateway stations to transmit data to and from its orbiting satellites, and the new licenses support SpaceX's effort to deliver gigabit speeds with its V3 satellites. The grant does not cover every next-generation gateway SpaceX applied for, so further approvals remain pending.
The licensed gateways each use 40 antennas to link ground infrastructure with 26 V3 satellites now in orbit. Another 26 V3 satellites are scheduled to launch Friday, and the FCC grant does not cover every next-gen gateway SpaceX applied for.
The players
SpaceX
Elon Musk's aerospace company that operates the Starlink satellite internet constellation and develops the Starship launch vehicle.
Iridium Communications
A satellite communications company that operates a constellation of low-Earth-orbit satellites providing global voice and data services.
Federal Communications Commission
The U.S. independent agency that regulates interstate and international communications and licenses radio spectrum use.
The details
SpaceX began filing applications for dozens of next-generation quadband gateway earth stations in April. The gateway stations connect to fiber networks, and SpaceX modified one application to also request the 42.0-42.5GHz band for downlink.
Timeline
April: SpaceX began filing next-generation gateway applications.
Last month: Iridium withdrew its petitions objecting to the licenses.
Thursday: The FCC granted the gateway licenses.
Friday: Another 26 V3 satellites are scheduled to launch.
Tech Race
The approvals apply the FCC's existing earth-station licensing standard under 47 CFR 25.203 to a much larger ground network for SpaceX's satellite internet service. The decision extends that framework as competitors such as Iridium weigh spectrum-interference concerns in the low-Earth-orbit market.
The licenses are a step toward the gigabit speeds SpaceX promises for Starlink customers with V3 satellites. Users will see the practical effect only as additional gateways come online and satellite capacity expands.
The takeaway
Ground gateway capacity is as important as satellite count for satellite internet performance. Watch for further FCC approvals to see how quickly SpaceX's network expands.
Further reading
Explore more on Data Centers to see how ground infrastructure supports large-scale networks.
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