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AST SpaceMobile plans to launch 60 satellites by 2026
AST SpaceMobile is gearing up to launch up to 60 satellites by 2026, hoping to bring direct-to-phone broadband across the US, Europe, Japan, and more.
With $1.5 billion in available funding, their plan has already sparked a 10% jump in company shares—clearly, investors are paying attention.
Satellites will connect directly with standard smartphones
Unlike regular satellite internet that needs special gear, AST's satellites (built on BlueWalker 3 tech) connect directly with standard 4G/5G smartphones.
They've got six satellites in orbit now and want to ramp up launches through next year—planning orbital launches every one to two months on average.
With rivals like SpaceX's Starlink and Amazon's Project Kuiper crowding low Earth orbit, the race for space-based mobile internet is heating up.