SPACE: Elon Musk Details Generation 2 Starlink Satellites.

The Gen2 satellite is considerably larger than the over 2,500 Starlink satellites orbiting 340 miles above the Earth’s surface. Gen2 satellites are 22 feet long and weigh 2,755 pounds, according to an interview with Musk on the YouTube show Everyday Astronaut on Thursday. The first-generation satellites weigh 573 pounds, or about one-fifth as much as Gen2.

“A lot of people talk a lot about how many launches per year there are to orbit, but this is not really what matters. I think what really matters is what’s the total useful payload to orbit per year,” Musk said. “‘Cause otherwise you could say if this were ocean ships, you’d be like comparing a dinghy to a supertanker.”

To get the much heavier Gen2 satellites into orbit, SpaceX will have to get its Starship heavy-lift rocket ready. The US Federal Aviation Administration is doing an environmental review of Starship and on Tuesday extended its self-imposed deadline an additional two weeks, suggesting that the final report is coming in mid-June.

That sure is convenient for Musk’s would-be competitor who is much more well-liked in Washington.