BlueBird 6 Launched from India
AST SpaceMobile Plans to Launch 45–60 Satellites by the End of 2026
The BlueBird 6 cellular communications satellite has been placed in orbit. AST SpaceMobile announced the successful launch from Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, India and subsequent deployment of the largest commercial communications array ever deployed in low Earth orbit, spanning nearly 2,400 square feet.
“This launch validates years of U.S. innovation and American manufacturing, executed by our team and marks the transition to scaled deployment.”
Abel Avellan, AST SpaceMobile
BlueBird 6 is three times larger than AST SpaceMobile’s previous BlueBird 1-5 satellites, engineered to deliver commercial and government applications, including high-speed 4G and 5G space-based cellular broadband directly to standard, unmodified smartphones, and government applications that benefit from the power, size and patented technology of AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird spacecraft.
“BlueBird 6 is a breakthrough moment for AST SpaceMobile,” said Abel Avellan, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of AST SpaceMobile. “This launch validates years of U.S. innovation and American manufacturing, executed by our team and marks the transition to scaled deployment. With BlueBird 6 now in orbit, we are firmly on the path to delivering true space-based cellular broadband directly to everyday smartphones, at a global scale.”
Today’s successful launch kicks off our next phase of execution and keeps us on track to launch 45–60 satellites by the end of 2026, with launches planned every one or two months on average.
BlueBird 6 was assembled, integrated, and tested at AST SpaceMobile’s manufacturing facilities in Midland, Texas. AST SpaceMobile operates nearly 500,000 square feet of manufacturing and operations facilities worldwide, supported by a workforce of more than 1,800 employees and a technology platform backed by over 3,800 patents and patent-pending claims.
AST SpaceMobile has agreements with over 50 mobile network operators globally with nearly 3 billion subscribers combined and strategic partnerships with AT&T, Verizon, Vodafone, Rakuten, Google, American Tower, Bell and stc Group.