The Federal Communications Commission said on Friday it has approved SpaceX's request to deploy another 7,500 second-generation Starlink satellites as it works to boost internet service worldwide. The FCC said Elon Musk's SpaceX can now operate an additional 7,

The FCC's partial grant lets SpaceX operate 7,500 more satellites, for a total of over 19,000 in Earth's orbit, and use even more radio bands at higher power limits.

The number of orbital launch attempts worldwide last year surpassed the record 2024 flight rate by 25 percent, with SpaceX and China accounting for the bulk of the launch activity, Aviation Week & Space Technology reports.

SpaceX has the first of a series of afternoon launches on tap Friday with another Starlink mission from Cape Canaveral.

Flight 12 will try to extend that run of success while also breaking in the new "Version 3" of Starship. Among other modifications, this variant is a bit taller than its predecessors and will also be the first to employ SpaceX's new Raptor 3 engine.