BlueWalker 3

AST SpaceMobile planned to begin deploying BlueBird operational satellites in 2023 even if BlueWalker 3 encountered issues.

AST SpaceMobile invested approximately $85,000,000 in the development of BlueWalker 3.

BlueWalker 3 is slated to launch in summer 2022 to low Earth orbit on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with other passengers.

AST SpaceMobile secured an experimental license from the Federal Communications Commission on 2022-05-02 to test services in the United States from the BlueWalker 3 prototype satellite.

AST SpaceMobile had previously planned to launch BlueWalker 3 in 2021 and 20 BlueBird satellites by the end of 2022 to begin commercial services in 2023.

AST SpaceMobile expects SpaceX to launch the BlueWalker 3 test satellite for its cellphone-compatible constellation in the week of 2022-08-15.

AST SpaceMobile plans to launch the BlueWalker 3 satellite for testing in early to mid-September from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

AST SpaceMobile plans to launch its BlueWalker 3 satellite for testing in early to mid-September from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

SpaceX launched AST SpaceMobile’s BlueWalker 3 satellite on 2022-09-10 at 9:20 p.m. ET.

AST SpaceMobile is setting up sites to test BlueWalker 3 with more than 10 mobile operators globally on all six inhabited continents.

AST SpaceMobile aims to begin testing BlueWalker 3’s ability to provide 0.004 kg and 0.005 kg connectivity to standard mobile phones a couple of weeks after antenna deployment.

AST SpaceMobile plans to test voice and video applications with the BlueWalker 3 prototype under an experimental license from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission.

SpaceX launched AST SpaceMobile’s BlueWalker 3 prototype on 2022-09-10.

AST’s BlueWalker 3 prototype, launched on 2022-09-10, carries a 64-square-meter antenna that is the largest commercial antenna ever deployed to low Earth orbit.

AST SpaceMobile completed the first-ever space-based voice calls using everyday unmodified smartphones in April 2023.

The 0.005 kg tests used wireless spectrum from AT&T that was received by BlueWalker 3’s 64-square-meter phased array antenna.

AST SpaceMobile reported that BlueWalker 3 reached initial download speeds above 10 Mbps in June 2023.

AST SpaceMobile demonstrated space-based 0.005 kg connectivity using its BlueWalker 3 test satellite, which is the largest-ever commercial communications array deployed in low Earth orbit.

AST SpaceMobile completed tests in June with its BlueWalker 3 prototype in LEO that achieved 0.004 kg LTE download speeds.

AST SpaceMobile achieved download rates of around 14 megabits per second during 0.005 kg tests with a smartphone using BlueWalker 3 in September 2022.