SpaceX is laying the physical groundwork to significantly boost Starlink performance. According to a recent application filed with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the aerospace company is developing a next-generation gateway station designed to help deliver gigabit connectivity and fiber-like speeds to its satellite internet customers.
The “First of Its Name” Gateway
Dubbed "First of Its Name" in the regulatory filing, this new ground-based gateway will be located directly at the Starlink manufacturing facility in Bastrop, Texas. While SpaceX already operates more than 100 gateway stations across the United States, this addition is a leap in technical capabilities.
Historically, Starlink gateways have been designed to transmit data over the Ka and E bands. The new Bastrop facility will harness significantly more radio spectrum, utilizing a quad-band architecture that includes the Ka, V, E, and W bands. This expansion directly follows the FCC's January approval of SpaceX's proposal to upgrade the Starlink network with gigabit-class speeds.
Upgraded Antenna Hardware
To handle the increased data transmission rates, SpaceX is upgrading the physical hardware at the ground station. The new gateway will utilize 40 antennas for quad-band access. However, each antenna will feature a larger 1.99-meter parabolic dish, a noticeable upgrade from the 1.85-meter dishes used at the company's existing gateway facilities.
According to the FCC application, these larger dishes allow the gateway to connect to "as many independent NGSO [non-geostationary] satellites as possible at any given instant in time."
By establishing more concurrent connections with orbiting satellites, SpaceX can vastly improve both data transmission rates and overall network reliability for consumers on the ground.
Paving the Way for Starlink V3
This next-generation terrestrial gateway is a critical component of SpaceX's long-term gigabit master plan. While the current hardware upgrades will improve the existing Gen1 and Gen2 systems, the ultimate goal is to support the massive data capacity of the upcoming V3 satellites.
Elon Musk has previously noted that the mass deployment of these next-generation V3 satellites could begin as early as Q4 of 2026, heavily depending on the continued successful test flights of the Starship launch vehicle. In the meantime, securing regulatory approval to utilize quad-band spectrum at the Bastrop gateway ensures that the terrestrial infrastructure will be fully ready the moment the new satellites achieve orbit.
