SpaceX, which has requested permission to launch 42,000 satellites for the Starlink constellation to provide broadband internet, is unlikely to need to put that many satellites into orbit, chief operating officer Gwynn Shotwell said on Monday, AFP reported.

“Of course, we want to launch more satellites, because more and more people want to use this service,” which is particularly lacking in the United States, the head of the company of American billionaire Elon Musk told the press. But “I don’t think we’re going to need 40,000 satellites to provide quality service around the world,” she added.

Bigger satellites with bigger antennas and better capabilities, such as the next-generation satellites that SpaceX is preparing to launch, will reduce their numbers, she said.

The explosive increase in the number of satellites, especially at altitudes of several hundred kilometers, has led to fears that low-Earth orbit will become crowded and that there will be more debris in the event of a collision. Some astronomers also warn that visual pollution will harm their observations.

Since 2019, SpaceX has deployed nearly 3,000 Starlink satellites and launches its own Falcon 9 rockets about once a week to speed up the deployment of its group.

On Sunday, SpaceX launched 34 more satellites aboard the Falcon 9, the main stage of which was used for the 14th time, for the first time, the company said.

The Starlink service, which will be launched in late 2020, will allow people living in areas poorly served by fixed and mobile networks to access high-speed internet. The service is also available for commercial vessels and aircraft, as well as for small businesses.

This requires an antenna and Wi-Fi system that costs about €500, and a subscription of €50 per month for France ($110 in the US).

According to Shotwell, Starlink has more than 700,000 customers worldwide, including 75,000 in Europe and 6,500 in France. And for the first time, “this year our revenues were able to cover our operating costs,” she said.