(Credit: AST SpaceMobile)
Following a delay, AST SpaceMobile says it’s close to launching its first commercial satellites, which are intended to deliver broadband to mobile phones.
The company has finished assembling its first batch of five commercial satellites. They were originally supposed to fly into orbit in Q1 or Q2, but that was delayed due to a supply chain issue.
AST SpaceMobile is now preparing to ship the satellites to Cape Canaveral, Florida, during the first week of August, with the goal of launching them into space during a “7-day” window in September. The exact launch date will be confirmed at a later date.
The news brings the Texas-based company a step closer to operating a space-based cellular network capable of beaming high-speed internet to unmodified phones on the ground. AT&T and Verizon have partnered with AST SpaceMobile to use its satellites to serve customers in cellular dead zones.
“Completing the manufacturing, assembly, and environmental testing for these satellites represents a significant milestone in our mission to bridge the digital divide and deliver connectivity to those who need it most,” says AST SpaceMobile CEO Abel Avellan.
The satellites, dubbed Bluebirds, are based on the BlueWalker 3 prototype model that the company sent into Earth’s orbit in 2022. The prototype satellite—a massive 693-square-foot communications array—can deliver internet speeds up to 21Mbps.
Still, the company must launch between 45 to 60 commercial satellites before it can offer continuous coverage in the US.
In contrast, rival SpaceX has already launched about 100 satellites to power its cellular Starlink system, which is also designed to beam data to unmodified phones. Pending regulatory approval, SpaceX plans to launch the service this fall with T-Mobile, but a malfunction with the company’s Falcon 9 rocket risks pushing back the date.