AST SpaceMobile Launches Largest LEO Array to Date, BlueBird 6
AST SpaceMobile has successfully launched BlueBird 6, deploying what it says is the largest commercial communications array ever placed in low Earth orbit and a significant step toward scaled NTN mobile broadband.
Launched on December 23 from India’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre, BlueBird 6 features a nearly 2,400-square-foot phased-array antenna, more than three times larger than AST’s earlier satellites and designed to deliver up to 120 Mbps peak data rates directly to standard, unmodified smartphones. It supports voice, data, and video services using 4G and 5G cellular standards from space.
The launch marks AST SpaceMobile’s transition from early validation to constellation-scale deployment, with the company planning to launch 45–60 satellites by the end of 2026 at a steady cadence of missions every one to two months.
BlueBird 6 was built and tested in Texas and forms part of AST’s strategy to integrate satellites as native components of mobile networks. The company has commercial agreements with more than 50 mobile network operators worldwide, positioning BlueBird as a key platform for future direct-to-device NTN services that extend cellular coverage beyond terrestrial infrastructure.