SpaceX, the US rocket and satellite operator, has disclosed technical specifications for the next generation of its Starlink broadband satellites, a platform it calls “Gen3”, built around a 250-kilowatt power payload and 10 terabits per second of bidirectional capacity per spacecraft. The specifications were disclosed on October 1, 2026 and reported on October 4 by Satnews, a satellite industry trade publication.
Key facts
- Each Gen3 platform is engineered around a 250 kW solar array and power distribution system, which Satnews described as a fourfold power increase over earlier Starlink constellation iterations.
- The baseline design supports 10 Tbps of bidirectional bandwidth per satellite, with an architecture the report said can scale beyond 100 Tbps in future hardware iterations.
- The satellite carries an onboard SpaceX-designed compute system using Nvidia Vera Rubin NVL72 hardware. Nvidia is the US chip designer whose processors dominate AI computing.
- Each satellite generates more electrical power than the International Space Station, which Satnews said produces between 120 and 240 kW across its solar array.
- The stated purpose is multi-gigabit broadband plus high-density, space-based 5G direct-to-device (D2D) connectivity.
Why it matters
The claim at the centre of the disclosure is that a single satellite can carry as much traffic as a small network. Satnews reported the figure as 10 Tbps in both directions per spacecraft, which is the unit of comparison readers should hold on to when operators quote constellation-wide capacity.
For context on scale, SpaceX only recently deployed its first 26 Starlink V3 satellites on a Starship flight. Gen3, as described, is a further step beyond that hardware.
What the onboard computer is for
According to Satnews, the Nvidia-based compute payload is there so the satellite can do work that would otherwise be sent to the ground. The report listed three functions: orbital data processing, digital beamforming, and dynamically allocating RF power across steerable spot beams.
The significance, as the report put it, is that these compute tasks do not all have to be routed through ground stations. The onboard system is intended to handle real-time signal processing and direct routing across dense user networks.
Elon Musk, SpaceX’s chief executive, was quoted by Satnews on both numbers: “Connectivity per sat will be more like 10Tb in both directions and there is a path to 100+Tb,” he said, adding that each satellite is 250 kW and will carry a SpaceX-designed Nvidia Vera Rubin NVL72 computer.
Power, buildings and phones
The power jump is not presented as a vanity figure. Satnews reported that the scaling addresses link-budget constraints inherent in delivering satellite-to-cellular connectivity directly to unmodified consumer devices — in other words, ordinary phones with no special hardware.
By generating higher effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) from low Earth orbit, the report said, the satellites can penetrate building structures and serve high-density urban environments where signal attenuation poses operational challenges. That is a different problem from rural coverage: it is about getting a usable signal to a handset indoors and in crowded cells.
Starlink’s direct-to-device service is already live in some markets and has been measured ahead of AST SpaceMobile in direct-to-device testing. Satnews said the Gen3 work aligns with broader satellite network scaling to enable direct satellite connectivity across large-format mobile form factors.
Starship and the regulators are the gate
Two conditions stand between the specification and a working service, both named in the Satnews report. The first is lift: Starship’s payload bay capacity and mass-to-orbit capability are required to loft the heavier, high-power Gen3 spacecraft, and deployment is directly tied to Starship’s operational launch cadence.
The second is permission. Before commercial service rollout, Satnews said, SpaceX must secure modified orbital authorisations and spectrum coordination approvals from the US Federal Communications Commission, the country’s telecoms regulator, and from international regulatory bodies. Readers in Africa following that process may want our earlier reporting on how the V3 rollout puts African regulators in the frame.
What has not been said
The disclosure is a hardware and spectrum document. It carries no launch date for the first Gen3 satellite, no in-service date, no customer speeds and no pricing. Nothing in the Satnews report addresses which countries would see the capacity first, or what any of it would cost a subscriber.
Satnews also did not report an independent verification of the 250 kW, 10 Tbps or 100+ Tbps figures; the numbers come from SpaceX and from Musk’s own statement. We have not seen a primary SpaceX newsroom post or an FCC filing containing the Gen3 specifications, and we will update this story if one is published.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will the Starlink Gen3 satellites actually launch?
No launch date was given. Satnews reported that deployment of the 250 kW platforms is directly tied to the operational launch cadence of Starship, because the vehicle’s payload bay and mass-to-orbit capability are required to loft the heavier spacecraft. SpaceX must also secure modified orbital authorisations and spectrum coordination approvals from the US Federal Communications Commission and international regulatory bodies before commercial service.
What spectrum will the Gen3 satellites use for 5G direct-to-device?
According to Satnews, the technical advance supports a commercial telecommunications roadmap that followed SpaceX’s $17 billion acquisition of AWS-4 and H-Block mid-band spectrum licences from EchoStar, the US satellite and wireless company. The report said it builds on SpaceX’s second-quarter direct mobile telco roadmap, which established dedicated 50 MHz spectrum blocks for non-terrestrial 5G service.
What will the first Gen3 satellites in orbit be tested for?
Satnews reported that initial orbital testing will focus on validating power distribution, thermal management for the Nvidia compute payload, and inter-satellite optical laser link throughput. The report did not say when that testing would begin.
Does this disclosure say anything about Starlink prices or availability in Africa?
No. The disclosure reported by Satnews covers satellite hardware specifications, spectrum strategy and regulatory steps only. It contains no pricing, no service tiers and no country-level availability information, so it says nothing about what Starlink will cost or when it will reach any particular market in Africa.
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