Shares of AST SpaceMobile surged 6% following the announcement that the company’s BlueBird 7 satellite is set to launch in late February from Cape Canaveral via Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket. This mission is a critical component of the company's pioneering initiative to establish the first cellular broadband network accessible directly through standard smartphones from space, aiming for commercial service introduction in 2026.
Key Points
- AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird 7 satellite is scheduled to launch in late February from Cape Canaveral using Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket.
- The BlueBird 7 satellite features the largest commercial communications array in low Earth orbit, approximately 2,400 square feet.
- AST SpaceMobile aims to deploy 45-60 satellites by the end of 2026, progressively building a space-based cellular broadband network accessible via standard smartphones.
AST SpaceMobile, the satellite communications firm, saw its stock jump by 6% after revealing the planned launch date for its BlueBird 7 satellite. Scheduled for late February, the launch will take place at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station aboard Blue Origin's New Glenn vehicle. This deployment represents a vital phase in AST SpaceMobile’s vision to create the first-ever cellular broadband network in orbit, which users can access with typical smartphone devices.
The BlueBird 7 satellite is part of the company's next-generation campaign and will feature a communication array nearly 2,400 square feet in size, claiming the largest commercial communications array in low Earth orbit. Scott Wisniewski, AST SpaceMobile’s President, remarked that this launch is a step forward in their mission to extend space-based cellular broadband connectivity to everyday smartphone users, with commercial services planned for rollout in 2026.
Designed to support peak data speeds up to 120 Mbps, BlueBird 7 is equipped to handle voice, data, and streaming applications. The satellite’s design benefits from a robust intellectual property portfolio that includes over 3,800 patent and patent-pending claims. Looking ahead, AST SpaceMobile has an assertive satellite deployment agenda, targeting one launch roughly every one to two months throughout 2026. Their goal is to place between 45 to 60 satellites in orbit by the end of that year. Additionally, the company noted that future launches utilizing New Glenn’s large seven-meter fairing could carry as many as eight BlueBird satellites per flight.
AST SpaceMobile's operations encompass nearly 500,000 square feet in Texas, employing close to 1,800 personnel. The company maintains a strong vertical integration stance, managing 95% of its manufacturing processes internally. This scale and integration support their ambitious launch and service rollout timeline.
Risks
- The ambitious launch schedule targeting approximately one satellite every one to two months in 2026 could face delays or operational challenges impacting rollout timelines.
- Reliance on New Glenn rocket launches means AST SpaceMobile is dependent on Blue Origin’s launch vehicle availability and performance.
- The introduction of a novel space-based cellular network faces technological, regulatory, and market adoption uncertainties that could affect commercial service initiation in 2026.