According to the company, BlueBird 6 is the largest ever commercial communications array deployed in low Earth orbit, designed to support cellular broadband peak data speeds of up to 120 Mbps.
AST SpaceMobile has announced the successful unfolding of its next-generation BlueBird 6 satellite, marking a major step forward in the companys plan to deliver space-based cellular broadband directly to standard smartphones.
BlueBird 6 carries what the company describes as the largest commercial communications array antenna ever deployed in low Earth orbit, measuring roughly 2,400 sqft. The satellite is designed to support peak data speeds of up to 120 Mbps and is expected to deliver as much as ten times the bandwidth capacity of the earlier BlueBird 15 satellites. Its large aperture is engineered to enable full 4G and 5G cellular broadband services including voice, data and video to conventional, unmodified smartphones. AST SpaceMobile said it remains on schedule to launch between 45 and 60 satellites by the end of 2026, with missions planned approximately every one to two months.
According to the company, BlueBird 6s performance is driven by advances in space-based communications architecture. The expanded antenna array is built to reliably transmit and receive signals from handheld devices, while its size allows for more precise beamforming. This creates narrower, targeted coverage areas that reduce interference, increase network capacity and help deliver consistent service quality for mobile broadband users.
Abel Avellan, Founder, Chairman and CEO of AST SpaceMobile, said: “BlueBird 6 is the result of specialized American manufacturing combined with world-class engineering ingenuity. We are not just building satellites; we built a new way to manufacture innovative space technology at scale, and we have cultivated a highly skilled workforce capable of operating at the frontier of aerospace and telecommunications. These teams are contributing directly to developing unprecedented capabilities that will change how the world connects in a market we invented. We have developed a unique design and a proprietary process, and we are building the future of connectivity right here at home.”
The deployment represents the culmination of years of research and proprietary development, supported by more than 3,800 patent and patent-pending claims. The company said the milestone validates its vertically integrated manufacturing model and supports progress toward its commercial rollout strategy.
AST SpaceMobile operates nearly 500,000 sqft of manufacturing and operational facilities and employs about 1,800 people. The company reports that its production process is approximately 95% vertically integrated and remains under US control.
Globally, AST SpaceMobile has agreements with more than 50 mobile network operators representing a combined subscriber base of nearly three billion users. Its strategic partners include AT&T, Verizon, Vodafone, Rakuten, Google, American Tower, Bell and stc Group, underscoring industry support for its satellite-to-smartphone connectivity platform.
