SpaceX is preparing to launch its next-generation Starlink V3 satellites, which promise download speeds of up to 1 Tbps and latency as low as 5 milliseconds, making them ideal for online gaming and high-speed internet use.
During a keynote titled “Road to Making Life Multiplanetary”, Elon Musk revealed that the V3 satellites are nearly the size of a Boeing 737 when unfurled. These new satellites will orbit at 350 km, lower than the current 550 km for Starlink V2, helping reduce latency to under 20 ms, with Musk teasing real-time Diablo gameplay from the air.
The V3 units will also feature laser communication systems, enabling data to travel 40% faster than fiber optics in vacuum. Upload speeds will jump to 160 Gbps, which is 24 times faster than the current generation.
To launch these massive satellites, SpaceX will use the upcoming Starship 3 rockets, which are the size of a Boeing 747 and expected to become operational by the end of the year. Despite weighing nearly two tons each, these rockets will be able to deploy twice as many satellites per launch.
Musk stated that within a few years, SpaceX could deploy 5,000 Starlink satellites annually. The first batch of V3 launches is expected in the next 6 to 9 months, potentially by early 2026.
New ground gear capable of handling the V3 speeds is also in development, initially targeted at enterprise users.
