AST SpaceMobile Launches First 5 Commercial Satellites for Direct-to-Phone Broadband

The new BlueBird satellites aim to revolutionize cellular connectivity but raise concerns among astronomers due to their brightness.

Five BlueBird satellites launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, marking the first commercial deployment for AST SpaceMobile.
These satellites are part of a planned constellation to provide direct-to-smartphone broadband services, initially offering intermittent connectivity.
AST SpaceMobile has received conditional approval from the FCC and plans to seek full commercial service permissions soon.
The satellites' large communication arrays make them highly visible in the night sky, prompting concerns from the astronomical community.
Future satellites in the constellation will be even larger, with AST SpaceMobile already producing parts for 17 next-generation models.