US EditionSatellites to Enable Seamless Global 5G and 6G by 2030
AST SpaceMobile launched its largest satellite with a 2,400 sq. ft. array supporting over 2,000 cells and 120Mbps bandwidth per cell for direct-to-phone connectivity.
- Tuesday's liftoff placed BlueBird 6 into a 323-mile-high orbit from India's Satish Dhawan Space Centre aboard an LVM3, about 15 minutes after launch.
- AST framed the mission as deploying the largest commercial communications array ever in low Earth orbit, at almost 2,400 square feet, with Abel Avellan saying it "validates years of US innovation" and marks scaled deployment.
- AST says the satellite's antenna and processing can support more than 2,000 cells per satellite with 120Mbps per cell, advancing space-based cellular broadband to unmodified phones globally.
- The company plans to step up its launch cadence using Falcon 9 and New Glenn rockets, aiming to deploy 25 to 50 satellites for AT&T and Verizon coverage.
- Industry context shows AST remains behind SpaceX's Starlink, which has 650-plus direct-to-cell Starlinks, and many analysts predict competition won't emerge until 2027, according to Recon Analytics.
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"Boosters On. Wings Out!": AST SpaceMobile Launches Biggest Satellite Yet To Take On Starlink
"Boosters On. Wings Out!": AST SpaceMobile Launches Biggest Satellite Yet To Take On Starlink AST SpaceMobile launched its largest-ever satellite, BlueBird 6, from India earlier on Wednesday, marking the company's first satellite deployment in its low-Earth-orbit (LEO) constellation. This constellation is designed to provide direct-to-smartphone connectivity and compete with SpaceX's Starlink. The launch comes as the LEO industry is expected to …
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