AST SpaceMobile is a publicly traded satellite designer and manufacturer headquartered in Midland, Texas, focused on building a space-based cellular broadband network. Their SpaceMobile network aims to connect directly to standard, unmodified smartphones via their constellation of low Earth orbit satellites, like the BlueBird series. AST SpaceMobile partners with mobile network operators like AT&T, Verizon, and Vodafone to expand cellular coverage and provide connectivity in underserved areas, also securing contracts with the U.S. government for secure and reliable connectivity.
All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.
AST SpaceMobile has created a proprietary design and production process to support a global space-based mobile network.
AST SpaceMobile has agreements with more than 50 mobile network operators worldwide to support its direct-to-device strategy.
AST SpaceMobile designed the oversized phased array on BlueBird 6 to allow highly precise beamforming that creates narrower and more focused coverage areas to reduce interference and increase usable network capacity.
AST SpaceMobile cites more than 3,800 patent and patent-pending claims supporting its technology stack, including antenna architecture, waveform processing, and network integration elements.
AST SpaceMobile employs a workforce of nearly 1,800 people.
AST SpaceMobile combines specialized American manufacturing with engineering focused on building space hardware at scale for the cellular market.
AST SpaceMobile expects results from BlueBird 6’s test and commissioning steps to feed into plans for further launches and service trials as it moves closer to commercial operations.
AST SpaceMobile will validate the performance of BlueBird 6’s large phased array, beamforming system, and integration with partner networks during the on-orbit test and commissioning phase.
AST SpaceMobile characterizes its operations as roughly 95 percent vertically integrated with manufacturing and process control kept under United States jurisdiction.
AST SpaceMobile plans to integrate its satellite links with existing mobile core networks using standard spectrum in coordination with partners.
AST SpaceMobile is targeting both consumer and government users that require coverage in areas where terrestrial networks are absent or unreliable.
AST SpaceMobile intends to use tightened beams from BlueBird 6 to support higher data throughput while managing spectrum use in coordination with terrestrial mobile networks.
The mobile network operators aligned with AST SpaceMobile collectively represent nearly 3 billion mobile subscribers.
Deployment of BlueBird 6 is part of a broader constellation build-out that AST SpaceMobile plans to accelerate over the next two years.
AST SpaceMobile plans to place between 45 and 60 satellites in orbit by the end of 2026, subject to launch and regulatory schedules.
AST SpaceMobile intends for BlueBird 6 and its successors to support 4G and 5G protocols used by current smartphones to reduce adoption friction for operators.
AST SpaceMobile positions BlueBird 6’s beamforming approach as a way to extend mobile coverage to remote and underserved regions without changing user equipment.
AST SpaceMobile expects BlueBird 6 to deliver up to ten times the bandwidth capacity of its earlier BlueBird 1 through 5 satellites.
Abel Avellan is the founder, chairman, and chief executive of AST SpaceMobile and identifies BlueBird 6 as reflecting a new spacecraft design and a new manufacturing approach.
AST SpaceMobile reports that its vertically integrated operations have been built up over several years as it refined the design of its large phased array satellites.