The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved an application from the Boeing Company for a license to construct, deploy, and operate a satellite constellation.

The approval, which has taken four years to iron out the details, means Boeing’s 147 satellites will be joining Amazon’s, SpaceX’s and OneWeb’s orbital systems for broadband internet.

As detailed in its FCC application, Boeing plans to provide broadband and communications services for residential, commercial, institutional, governmental, and professional users in the United States and globally. 

Most of the satellites will circle the globe at a height of about 650 miles. Fifteen of them will go into highly inclined orbits at an altitude between 17,000 and 27,500 miles.

To comply with the requirements laid out in the FCC’s order, half of the satellites will have to be launched by 2027, with the rest in place by 2030.

“Advanced satellite broadband services have an important role to play in connecting hard-to-serve communities,” said FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel.  “We are committed to a careful and detailed review of all such applications and I thank the International Bureau team for their work completing this first round of NGSO applications.”