AST SpaceMobile Announces Next Satellite Launch on August 5
AST SpaceMobile, a space communications company, has announced its next satellite launch is scheduled for August 5. This follows recent deployments by SpaceX and marks another step in the growing competition to build low-earth-orbit networks for broadband and cellular access. Unlike SpaceX’s Starlink service—which directly provides internet subscriptions—AST SpaceMobile partners with mobile carriers like AT&T and Verizon, offering extended coverage as an add-on feature. The company's BlueBird satellites are larger than those of competitors and require fewer units to achieve global coverage goals. AST SpaceMobile currently has nine satellites in orbit but aims for 45–60 by the end of 2026. The upcoming launch will deploy three more BlueBird satellites using SpaceX’s Falcon 9, following a previous successful deployment with the same provider. The company previously faced setbacks when one satellite was lost due to an incorrect orbital insertion.
Topics: AST SpaceMobile satellite broadband space race SpaceX Starlink