AST SpaceMobile takes another step towards its goal of providing a space-based mobile communications network – it will turn any standard smartphone into a satellite phone, no additional equipment required. after announces A network of five commercial satellites is scheduled to launch into low-Earth orbit on September 12, a successful launch this morning. You can watch the presentation below; The 10-second countdown starts at 1:16:09 in the video.
The company’s five BlueBird satellites are equipped with communications arrays intended to provide off-the-shelf smartphones with the same voice, data and video speeds as a broadband tower. Once in orbit, the AST satellites will provide “uninterrupted mobile broadband service in the United States and select markets globally.” The network can allow unmodified cell phones to function as satellite phones, allowing cell users to communicate even in areas with limited broadband tower coverage, such as rural communities or national parks.
Initially, this BlueBird network will be focused on serving beta test customers from the AT&T and Verizon networks. AST concluded the contract with AT&T to provide satellite communications to its customers in May. The company also worked with AT&T to complete the first successful two-way voice call over its satellites April 2023followed by a successful 4G data download test June 2023.
Update, September 12, 2024, 11:07 a.m. ET: This story was updated this morning to confirm that the launch was successful.
