SpaceX to Briefly Test V3 Starlink Satellites on Next Starship Flight

<p>SpaceX will finally deploy 20 next-generation <a href="https://www.pcmag.com/news/spacex-offers-new-look-at-v3-starlink-satellite-for-gigabit-speeds" target="_self">V3</a> Starlink satellites during a Starship flight slated for Thursday, July 16. Just don't expect the satellites to remain in space for long.</p><p>The V3 satellites are crucial to upgrading Starlink with <a href="https://www.pcmag.com/news/big-win-for-spacex-as-fcc-clears-it-to-upgrade-starlink-with-gigabit-speeds" target="_self">gigabit speeds</a>, which could put the satellite internet service on par with fiber providers. But it looks like SpaceX is still focused on testing the satellite technology and Starship's ability to carry them. That's because the next flight of the heavy-lift rocket won't reach a high enough altitude for a full orbit around the Earth. </p><p>"For the first time, Starship will carry V3 Starlink satellites to space, which aim to greatly expand the network's capacity and user speeds," SpaceX <a href="https://www.spacex.com/launches/starship-flight-13" target="_blank" title="(Opens in a new tab)">wrote</a> in a Saturday post about the launch.</p><div class="mb-0 rounded-md bg-gray-100 p-3 md:p-5" id="related-video">