That application got stuck after Amazon-owned Kuiper Systems raised concerns to the FCC, arguing that the changes requested by SpaceX would cause future orbital overlapping of Starlink satellites and its own satellites, which operate at similar altitudes.

Specifically, SpaceX proposed to lower the operation altitudes of a future cluster of Starlink satellites from 1,110-1,325 kilometers, its previous range, to 540-570 kilometers.

That means when the Kuiper constellation is fully deployed (The 590-km cluster is the last group Kuiper will deploy), Starlink and Kuiper satellites would likely be sharing a 20 km orbital shell.

In a letter to the FCC on Tuesday penned by SpaceX’s head of satellite policy, David Goldman, the company agreed to restrict all Starlink satellites to operate at no higher than 580 km, which is just 1 km below Kuiper’s lowest altitude range, once Kuiper launches.

Specifically, SpaceX urged FCC to authorize deployment of a cluster of 58 Starlink satellites above the Arctic Circle as proposed in the original application, because the company doesn’t want to miss a launch window in December.

In its modification request, SpaceX also proposed reducing the minimum elevation angle of Starlink ground stations from 40° to 25° so as to compensate for reduced satellite coverage due to altitude changes (lower satellites cover less ground when broadcasting signals). .