AST SpaceMobile has set a concrete launch date of December 15, 2025 for its first next‑generation Block 2 satellite, BlueBird 6, which will lift off from India’s Satish Dhawan Space Center. The satellite will carry the company’s largest commercial communications array to date—a 2,400‑square‑foot phased‑array antenna that is 3.5 times larger than the arrays on earlier BlueBirds, and the new AST5000 ASIC chip that can deliver up to 120 Mbps per beam, a ten‑fold increase over Block 1 satellites.
The technical leap represented by BlueBird 6 is a key enabler for AST SpaceMobile’s promise of ubiquitous cellular broadband. The larger antenna and higher‑capacity chip allow the satellite to serve more users at higher data rates, directly addressing the coverage gaps that terrestrial networks cannot fill. The 120 Mbps per beam capability positions the company to compete with other space‑based broadband providers while maintaining a focus on standard smartphone connectivity.
BlueBird 6’s launch is a milestone in the company’s broader constellation strategy. AST SpaceMobile aims to deploy 45–60 satellites by the end of 2026 to achieve continuous global coverage, while a 25‑satellite constellation is projected to bring the business to operating‑cash‑flow positivity. The company has already secured over $1 billion in contracted revenue commitments from partners such as Verizon, Vodafone, and stc Group, and reported Q3 2025 revenue of $14.7 million, largely from gateway hardware sales and U.S. government service milestones.
The announcement was well received by investors, reflecting confidence in the company’s progress toward commercial service and cash‑flow sustainability. The concrete launch date and the demonstrable technical improvements provide tangible evidence of the company’s execution capability, reinforcing market expectations of a steady build‑out of the constellation.
Looking ahead, AST SpaceMobile will focus on completing the remaining Block 2 launches, securing necessary regulatory approvals for terrestrial cellular frequencies, and expanding its partner network. The company’s manufacturing footprint, including a 500,000‑square‑foot facility in the United States, supports the rapid scaling required to meet the 2026 deployment target.
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