AST Space Mobile

AST SpaceMobile is developing the first and only space-based cellular broadband network designed to operate directly with standard, unmodified smartphones. The company's technology aims to provide global connectivity by deploying a constellation of satellites in low Earth orbit that can communicate directly with mobile devices on the ground. AST SpaceMobile's satellites, called Bluebirds, feature large communications arrays measuring 693 square feet, making them the largest commercial communications arrays ever deployed in low Earth orbit. The company's first five commercial satellites completed final assembly in July 2024 and were prepared for shipment to Cape Canaveral for a planned launch in September 2024. These initial satellites are expected to provide non-continuous service across the US with over 5,600 cells in premium low-band spectrum. AST SpaceMobile's technology utilizes the 850 MHz low-band spectrum, which offers superior signal penetration and coverage capabilities. In April 2023, the company successfully demonstrated its technology by placing the world's first call from an ordinary cellphone in Texas to another cellphone in Japan using its BlueWalker three prototype satellite. AST SpaceMobile aims to deploy up to 168 satellites to achieve global coverage, with an estimated total cost approaching USD 5 billion for the full constellation.