AST SpaceMobile has announced an aggressive launch schedule for its direct-to-smartphone broadband constellation. Beginning in July, they plan to launch new satellites every one to two months. The company anticipates beta service launches with AT&T and Verizon in the United States before the end of 2025, with broader commercial services starting in early 2026. This timeline is supported by contracts for five launches across various providers over the next six to nine months.
The first launch will utilize India’s GSLV rocket to carry the Block 2 BlueBird satellite, significantly larger than its predecessors. Abel Avellan, AST SpaceMobile founder and CEO, stated that from the second or third launch, Block 2 BlueBirds will incorporate in-house developed chips, enabling peak data rates of up to 120 megabits per second—a tenfold increase in capacity compared to Block 1. Subsequent launches will deploy between three and eight Block 2 satellites, depending on the rocket’s capacity.
Avellan previously indicated that two launches using SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets will follow the Indian launch, with future missions employing Blue Origin’s New Glenn rockets. The company estimates needing 25 BlueBirds for non-continuous connectivity in the U.S., and 45-60 for continuous coverage across the U.S., Europe, and Japan. Scott Wisniewski, chief strategy officer, acknowledged that some earlier launches might have less than full capacity but aims for at least 20 satellites in orbit as soon as possible. "Some of the earlier launches will have fewer than full capacity," Wisniewski said during the earnings call, "but we would really like to be in a position to have 20 satellites up … as soon as we can.”
AST SpaceMobile projects producing 40 satellites in 2025, scaling up to six per month by the year's end. This expansion requires significant investment, with the company expecting $230 million to $270 million in capital expenditures in the second quarter of 2025. Recently imposed tariffs have increased the average capital cost per satellite. Despite these challenges, AST SpaceMobile ended March with $874 million in cash and is actively seeking additional funding through various avenues, including government partnerships and an equity program.
Avellan highlighted the company’s potential contribution to the U.S. government’s $25 billion Golden Dome missile defense program. "We think the size and power of our satellites are unique and completely differentiated [from] what can be done by industry or by our adversaries," he said, "and we think that our technology will enable applications for national security that are going to be important for this particular program."