AST SpaceMobile, the company building the first and only space-based cellular broadband network accessible directly by everyday smartphones, designed for both commercial and government applications, announced BlueBird 6, a U.S. licensed satellite, is scheduled to launch on December 15th from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in India.
BlueBird 6 is the first of AST SpaceMobile’s next-generation satellites. When launched, it will feature the largest commercial phased array in low Earth orbit at nearly 2,400 square feet. This represents a 3.5 times increase in size over BlueBirds 1-5 and supports 10 times the data capacity.
AST SpaceMobile is accelerating production with 40 satellites equivalent of microns on track to be completed by early 2026. The company expects five orbital launches by the end of Q1 2026, with launches occurring every one to two months on average to reach 45–60 satellites launched by the end of 2026 and support continuous coverage across the United States and select markets. This ramp-up is supported by nearly 500,000 square feet of manufacturing and operations facilities worldwide, including roughly 400,000 square feet in the United States, and a global workforce of nearly 1,800 people, the overwhelming majority of whom are based in the U.S.
The exact timing of orbital launches is subject to change based on a number of factors, including launch readiness of the launch provider, weather conditions, and other factors, many of which are beyond our control. Members of the public will be able to watch a live broadcast on the launch day on AST SpaceMobile's YouTube channel.
Abel Avellan, Founder, Chairman and CEO of AST SpaceMobile
Our next-generation satellites will soon enable ubiquitous cellular broadband coverage direct to everyday smartphones from space. As an American company, we are proud to demonstrate U.S. leadership in space innovation while pioneering the next era of global connectivity.
