Elon Musk plans to launch over 100,000 satellites into orbit, aiming to transform Starlink from a niche broadband provider into the primary backbone for global internet and cellphone connectivity.
Musk shared the ambitious target on May 24 via X, outlining plans for next-generation V3, V4, and V5 satellites that would collectively carry the majority of the world's internet traffic.
Currently, Starlink has over 10,000 satellites in orbit as of March 2026, representing roughly two-thirds of all active satellites. The original 2016 plan called for 4,425 satellites, but the target has grown more than 20x.
The FCC approved an additional 15,000 Gen2 satellites in January 2026. The real leap comes with Gen3 hardware, expected to launch in the first half of this year, delivering over 1 Tbps downlink capacity per unit-a 10.7x improvement over the current V2 generation.
This expansion targets underbanked communities in Sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America, potentially removing the last-mile connectivity problem for decentralized finance and blockchain networks.