Impact Analysis of FCC's Approval for SpaceX to Deploy 7,500 Starlink Satellites

Now I will present a systematic and comprehensive analysis report for you.

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On January 9, 2026, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted a major authorization to SpaceX, approving its additional deployment of 7,500 second-generation Starlink satellites [1]. This “partial grant” brings the total number of operable satellites of SpaceX to approximately 19,400 (7,500 second-gen Starlink satellites + 7,500 second-gen Starlink satellites approved in 2022 + first-gen Starlink satellites) [2]. The core significance of this FCC approval lies in: allowing SpaceX to operate satellites in lower orbits, use a wider range of radio frequencies, and increase power limits, thereby achieving

and significantly enhancing the performance of the Starlink and cellular Starlink systems [1][2].

SpaceX originally planned to apply for more than 22,000 satellites, but the FCC adopted a more prudent approach. Nevertheless, this approval still marks a major turning point in the global satellite internet competition landscape.

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The FCC’s approval will

. According to the latest data, SpaceX has currently deployed over 9,400 in-orbit satellites [3], far exceeding all competitors. The detailed comparison is as follows:

Competitor	Planned Number of Satellites to Deploy	Current In-orbit Satellites	Development Stage
SpaceX Starlink	~42,000	9,400+	Large-scale Operation
Amazon Kuiper	3,236	Testing Phase	Mass Deployment to Start in 2025
OneWeb (Eutelsat)	648	634	Focused on Enterprise/Government Clients
China Satellite Network GW Constellation	12,992	136	Initial Network Deployment Stage
Telesat Lightspeed	198	Testing Phase	Focused on Enterprise Users

SpaceX’s

is reflected in three dimensions:

1. Scale Advantage
   : The number of satellites far exceeds that of competitors, enabling broader global coverage and higher network capacity
2. Technological Iteration
   : The second-generation satellites (V2 Mini) have larger bandwidth and more advanced communication capabilities
3. Commercial Maturity
   : Starlink has over 9 million users, forming a sustainable business model [4]

will launch consumer beta services in 2026, targeting 400Mbps speeds, and plans to complete the deployment of 3,236 satellites by 2029 [5]. Kuiper’s advantages lie in Amazon’s logistics experience, AWS cloud computing ecosystem, and consumer electronics portfolio, but it faces challenges such as limited launch capabilities (relying on third-party rockets) and regulatory approval hurdles.

currently focuses on enterprise and government clients, with a differentiated positioning in remote work and maritime communications, but its services have not been opened to residential users on a large scale [5].

(such as Viasat, HughesNet) still provide broadband services via GEO satellites, but their high-latency characteristics put them at a disadvantage compared to low-orbit constellations [6].

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The FCC’s approval of SpaceX’s large-scale deployment poses

on China’s satellite internet construction. According to the regulations of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the time requirements for constellation declarations:

Constellation	Planned Number of Satellites	ITU Deadline	Current Progress
GW Constellation (China Satellite Network)	12,992	Deploy 1,300 satellites by September 2029	136 satellites
Qianfan Constellation (Shanghai Yuanxin)	12,000+	Deploy 1,500 satellites by August 2032	108 satellites
Honghu-3 Constellation (LandSpace)	~1,000	Deploy 1,000 satellites by May 2033	Testing Phase

The two national-level constellations have currently completed less than 1% of their planned launches, and the

in the coming years [7]. Founder Securities predicts that the GW Constellation is expected to achieve the “100 Rockets, 1,000 Satellites” plan in 2028, and will complete the launch of nearly 2,500 satellites annually by 2035 [8].

The “Action Plan for the China National Space Administration to Promote the High-Quality and Safe Development of Commercial Aerospace (2025-2027)” released by the China National Space Administration in November 2025 provides a top-level design for industrial development [8]. Dongxing Securities pointed out that commercial aerospace will become an important engine driving new-quality productive forces during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, and the number of satellite launches for Chinese constellations is expected to grow at an accelerated pace in 2026 [8].

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Time Node	Market Size	Segmented Sectors
2025	Exceeding RMB 45 billion	Entire Industry Chain
2030	Manufacturing Segment: RMB 25-46 billion	Satellite Platforms, Communication Payloads
2030	Ground Equipment Segment: RMB 26.7 billion	Phased Array Antennas, Gateways
2030	Services Segment: RMB 22.7 billion	Satellite Broadband, Application Services

Company	Ticker	Core Business	Competitive Advantage
Jiayuan Technology	301117.SZ	Radiation-Hardened Chips	Only Domestic Player
Aerospace Hongtu	688066.SH	Inter-satellite Laser Communication	Holds Core Patents
Aerospace Huanyu	688523.SH	On-board Antennas/Ground Gateways	Core Supplier for GW Constellation

Company	Ticker	Core Business	Bound Clients
Shanghai Hanxun	300762.SZ	Military Communication Equipment	GW Constellation/G60 Starlink
China Star Map	688568.SH	Satellite Remote Sensing Applications	National Satellite Projects
China Satellite	600118.SH	Satellite Manufacturing	Supporting the National Team

• Reusable Rockets
  : LandSpace’s “Zhuque-3” aims to reduce launch costs to below RMB 20,000 per kilogram, which will significantly reduce network deployment costs [7]
• Satellite Manufacturing
  : GalaxySpace has reduced the cost per satellite to RMB 8 million, forming scale effects
• Launch Services
  : China’s aerospace launch count reached 92 in 2025, a record high [8]

From the release of the policy in late November 2025 to January 5, 2026:

• The Satellite Internet Index surged 33.9%
• Aerospace Huanyu saw a stage increase of 108.9%
• China Satellite saw a stage increase of 136.11%
• Rayco Defense saw a stage increase of 116.8%
• Aerospace Electronics saw a stage increase of 99.54% [8]

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1. Risk of Intensified Competition
   : After SpaceX’s approval, the market pattern will further concentrate, and latecomers may face order fluctuations and price pressure [4]
2. Risk of Technological Route
   : Satellite technology iterates rapidly, and investment needs to focus on the direction of technological evolution
3. Risk of Regulatory Policies
   : Countries are tightening supervision over spectrum and orbital resources, which may affect overseas market expansion

1. Risk of Performance Realization
   : Some companies have a divergence between current performance and valuation (e.g., Aerospace Huanyu’s net profit fell 24.42% year-on-year in 2024)
2. Risk of Connected Transactions
   : Some companies have a high degree of dependence on a single customer
3. Risk of Market Volatility
   : Concept stocks have seen large short-term increases, with potential pullback risks

• Space debris and collision risks may trigger regulatory tightening
• The risk of Kessler Syndrome may affect long-term orbital use [4]
• Geopolitical tensions may impact commercial constellation operations

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The FCC’s approval for SpaceX to deploy 7,500 Starlink satellites

. For investors, the impact of this event is reflected in two dimensions:

: China’s satellite internet industry chain will enter a , and key tracking indicators include constellation network deployment progress, launch frequency, and order growth of core suppliers. It is recommended to focus on targets that have entered the supply chain of national constellations and have high technological barriers.

: With the advent of the 6G era, satellite internet will deeply integrate with artificial intelligence and computing power networks to build an integrated space-air-ground communication network, and the market space is expected to expand from the current tens of billions to hundreds of billions of RMB.

:

1. Focus on targets with technological barriers (Jiayuan Technology, Aerospace Hongtu)
2. Pay attention to enterprises deeply bound to the supply chain (Shanghai Hanxun, China Star Map)
3. Lay out leading enterprises in the launch and manufacturing segments (China Satellite, Aerospace Huanyu)
4. Track the progress of reusable rocket technology (industry chain related to LandSpace)

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[1] PCMag - “Big Win for SpaceX as FCC Clears It to Upgrade Starlink With Gigabit Speeds” (https://www.pcmag.com/news/big-win-for-spacex-as-fcc-clears-it-to-upgrade-starlink-with-gigabit-speeds)

[2] Reuters - “FCC approves SpaceX plan to deploy an additional 7,500 Starlink satellites” (https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/fcc-approves-spacex-plan-deploy-additional-7500-starlink-satellites-2026-01-09/)

[3] Spaceflight Now - “Live coverage: SpaceX to launch its Falcon 9 rocket on midday Starlink mission” (https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/01/08/live-coverage-spacex-to-launch-its-falcon-9-rocket-on-midday-starlink-mission-from-cape-canaveral/)

[4] Founder Securities/Dongxing Securities - Satellite Internet Industry Research Report (2025-2026)

[5] TechTimes - “Top Satellite Internet Providers for 2026: Fastest Speeds” (https://www.techtimes.com/articles/313912/20260109/top-satellite-internet-providers-2026-fastest-speeds-best-nationwide-coverage.htm)

[6] PESTEL Analysis - “Competitive Landscape of SpaceX Company” (https://pestel-analysis.com/blogs/competitors/spacex)

[7] 21st Century Business Herald - “Satellite Internet Market Space to Exceed RMB 45 Billion: Which Segment Leaders Are Worth Paying Attention to?” (https://www.21jingji.com/article/20251212/herald/24c2ab3d19334d95b3eadd10b62ac0f2.html)

[8] Sina Finance - “The Next Trillion RMB Track? Satellite Internet Enters a Golden Development Period” (https://finance.sina.com.cn/stock/wbstock/2026-01-08/doc-inhfqpsv1373278.shtml)