The FCC approved SpaceX's plan to launch 7,518 internet satellites

SpaceX today received US approval to deploy 7,518 broadband satellites, in addition to the 4,425 satellites that were approved eight months ago. SpaceX thus has to deploy half of the newly approved satellites within six years and the remaining satellites within nine years unless it successfully re-applies for a waiver.

SpaceX is just one of many companies that the FCC gave the green light to today at its monthly meeting. Kepler, Telesat and LeoSat also got approval for various services, though with 140, 117 and 78 satellites proposed respectively, they aren't nearly as ambitious in scale. Several others were approved, as well, with smaller proposals.

With more orbiting satellites in space, it is expected that more Americans, especially those living in rural areas as well as people in developing countries, will be able to access high-speed internet.

"I'm excited to see what these services might promise and what these proposed constellations have to offer," FCC chairman Ajit Pai said today during the meeting in which the constellations were approved. "Our approach to these applications reflects this commission's fundamental approach to encourage the private sector to invest and to innovate and allow market forces to deliver value to American consumers."

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