AST SpaceMobile Announces Successful Orbital Launch of BlueBird 6, the Largest Commercial Communications Array Ever Deployed in Low Earth Orbit
At nearly 2,400 square feet, BlueBird 6 is over three times the size and 10x the capacity of AST SpaceMobile’s six satellites currently in orbit.
The satellite is designed to enable peak data rates of up to 120 Mbps directly to standard, unmodified mobile devices, supporting voice, full data, and video applications from space.
MIDLAND, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)–$ASTS #AST–AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (“AST SpaceMobile”) (NASDAQ: ASTS), the company building the first and only space-based cellular broadband network accessible directly by everyday smartphones, designed for both commercial and government applications, today announced the successful orbital launch of BlueBird 6.
The BlueBird 6 mission lifted off at 10:25 p.m. EST on December 23 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India. BlueBird 6 becomes now the largest commercial communications array ever deployed in low Earth orbit, spanning nearly 2,400 square feet, three times larger than AST SpaceMobile’s previous record-breaking BlueBirds 1-5, 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 spacecrafts.
“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.
About AST SpaceMobile
AST SpaceMobile is building the first and only global cellular broadband network in space to operate directly with standard, unmodified mobile devices based on our extensive IP and patent portfolio, and designed for both commercial and government applications. Our engineers and space scientists are on a mission to eliminate the connectivity gaps faced by today’s five billion mobile subscribers and finally bring broadband to the billions who remain unconnected. For more information, follow AST SpaceMobile on YouTube, X (Formerly Twitter), LinkedIn and Facebook. Watch this video for an overview of the SpaceMobile mission.
Forward-Looking Statements
This communication contains “forward-looking statements” that are not historical facts, and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results of AST SpaceMobile to differ materially from those expected and projected. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the words “believes,” “estimates,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “may,” “will,” “would,” “potential,” “projects,” “predicts,” “continue,” or “should,” or, in each case, their negative or other variations or comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from the expected results. Most of these factors are outside AST SpaceMobile’s control and are difficult to predict.
Factors that could cause such differences include, but are not limited to: (i) expectations regarding AST SpaceMobile’s strategies and future financial performance, including AST’s future business plans or objectives, expected functionality of the SpaceMobile Service, anticipated timing of the launch of the Block 2 BlueBird satellites, anticipated demand and acceptance of mobile satellite services, prospective performance and commercial opportunities and competitors, the timing of obtaining regulatory approvals, ability to finance its research and development activities, commercial partnership acquisition and retention, products and services, pricing, marketing plans, operating expenses, market trends, revenues, liquidity, cash flows and uses of cash, capital expenditures, and AST SpaceMobile’s ability to invest in growth initiatives; (ii) the negotiation of definitive agreements with mobile network operators relating to the SpaceMobile Service that would supersede preliminary agreements and memoranda of understanding and the ability to enter into commercial agreements with other parties or government entities; (iii) the ability of AST SpaceMobile to grow and manage growth profitably and retain its key employees and AST SpaceMobile’s responses to actions of its competitors and its ability to effectively compete; (iv) changes in applicable laws or regulations; (v) the possibility that AST SpaceMobile may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; (vi) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against AST SpaceMobile; and (vii) other risks and uncertainties indicated in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including those in the Risk Factors section of AST SpaceMobile’s Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 3, 2025 and Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 12, 2025 and November 10, 2025.
AST SpaceMobile cautions that the foregoing list of factors is not exclusive. AST SpaceMobile cautions readers not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. For information identifying important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements, please refer to the Risk Factors in AST SpaceMobile’s Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 3, 2025 and Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 12, 2025 and November 10, 2025. AST SpaceMobile’s securities filings can be accessed on the EDGAR section of the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Except as expressly required by applicable securities law, AST SpaceMobile disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Contacts
Investor:
Scott Wisniewski
investors@ast-science.com
Media:
Allison
Eva Murphy Ryan
917-547-7289
AstSpaceMobile@allisonpr.com
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