Starlink V3 satellites bring gigabit-class capacity

Starlink's V3 (Gen3) satellites are a major capacity leap, each designed to deliver on the order of one terabit per second of downlink — roughly ten times a Gen2 satellite — and far more uplink. The much larger satellites are sized to launch on Starship, which is why booster reuse and Starship's ramp are tightly linked to Starlink's roadmap.

The capacity jump is what moves Starlink from "good broadband for places with none" toward gigabit-class service that competes with urban fibre and cable, while relieving congestion in busy areas. More capacity per satellite also improves the economics of every launch.

It illustrates the SpaceX flywheel: Starship lowers launch cost, which lets SpaceX loft bigger, more capable Starlink satellites, which generate the revenue that funds Starship and Mars. Each part of the system makes the others more powerful — a vertical integration competitors cannot easily copy.