News
The five Bluebird satellites are set to be launched into low Earth orbit (LEO) in September
Direct-to-device (D2D) satellite communications operator AST SpaceMobile has announced this week that it’s five new commercial satellites, dubbed Bluebirds, are built and ready for launch.
The Bluebirds will be shipped to Cape Canaveral, Florida, at the start of August, where they are targeted for launch in September. The exact launch date will depend on weather conditions at the launch site and will therefore be announced nearer the time.
The five satellites, once placed into LEO orbit, will allow AST SpaceMobile to deliver non-continuous commercial services for the first time. These services will include D2D satellite communications compatible with unmodified smartphones, allowing mobile coverage to reach some of the most remote locations on the planet.
AST SpaceMobile has said it will need between 40 and 60 commercial satellites to deliver continuous coverage in the US.
“This is a momentous occasion for AST SpaceMobile. These first five satellites are built on the success of our in-orbit BlueWalker 3 satellite and will provide US nationwide non-continuous service with over 5,600 cells in premium low-band spectrum, with a planned 10-fold increase in processing bandwidth,” AST SpaceMobile Chairman and CEO Abel Avellan said in a statement. “We are eager to see these pioneering satellites take flight and being laying the foundation of our global cellular broadband network.”
AST SpaceMobile already has strategic partnerships with AT&T, Verizon, Vodafone, Google, Rakuten, American Tower, and Bell Canada, as well as ‘agreements’ with 45 mobile network operators around the world.
Of course, AST SpaceMobile is not the only satellite player targeting D2D connectivity for consumers. Since last year, rival satellite giant SpaceX has reportedly been working on direct-to-device capabilities, working alongside its major US partner T-Mobile. The company’s Starlink satellite constellation is planning to launch initial D2D services in autumn this year, following the successful launch of around 100 of their newest generation of satellites.
Keep up to date with the latest international telecoms news by subscribing to the Total Telecom daily newsletter
Also in the news:
Australian Government and AWS Collaborate to Strengthen country’s Cybersecurity
Solving congestion challenges in FTTP deployment
Vodafone Invests £120m in AI Chatbot ‘SuperTOBi’