Satellite direct-to-cellular company AST SpaceMobile has confirmed a target launch date of September 12 for its first five BlueBird satellites, destined for low Earth orbit, which will provide the basis for initial commercial non-terrestrial network (NTN) services for carriers including AT&T and Verizon.
The BlueBirds will be launching from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on or after September 12, which a target of 4:52 a.m. on September 12—if weather conditions permit and all is well with AST’s launch partner, SpaceX. AST SpaceMobile plans to broadcast the launch live, via its YouTube channel.
The launch will be a major milestone for AST SpaceMobile, which has seen its BlueBirds repeatedly delayed due to supplier issues. The company had first planned to launch them before the end of 2023, then expected to launch in the first or second quarter of 2024, before getting to the point of a September 2024 launch.
“This is a pivotal moment for AST SpaceMobile as we bring our vision to enhance cellular connectivity globally, with the support of our strategic partners and the unwavering commitment of our team,” said Abel Avellan, who is founder, chairman, and CEO of AST SpaceMobile. “As we shift our manufacturing focus to increase Block 2 production of the active payload systems and other components for the first 17 Block 2 satellites, we are excited to bring this revolutionary technology to the world. We believe space-based broadband cellular connectivity will revolutionize how people connect, empowering communities and driving economic growth on a global scale.”
The Block 2 satellites are expected to launch in early 2025 and are even larger than the current BlueBird models that will launch this month.
After launch, the initial BlueBird satellites will offer “non-continuous” cellular broadband service across the United States and in “select markets globally,” according to the company. AST SpaceMobile will be relying on low-band, 850 MHz spectrum from AT&T and Verizon in the U.S. and said that it “will target approximately 100% nationwide coverage from space with over 5,600 coverage cells in the United States.” The company has indicated that it will need a constellation of between 45-60 satellites in order to provide continuous coverage across the United States.
Each of the BlueBirds are outfitted with the largest-ever commercial communications arrays to be deployed in low Earth orbit, according to AST SpaceMobile. AT&T and AST have already been conducting joint testing of various services, including a recent test of streaming video; those tests have encompassed AT&T’s 850 MHz spectrum as well as its FirstNet 700 MHz spectrum, and AST also has permission through May of 2025 from AT&T to test using higher-frequency spectrum at 37.6-40 GHz.
Verizon made a $100 million commitment to AST SpaceMobile, consisting of $65 million in commercial prepayments plus $35 million of convertible notes, earlier this year. AST struck similar deals with AT&T and Vodafone; Rakuten, Bell Canada, and American Tower are also investors in the LEO direct-to-cellular company.
AST said that it has agreements with 45 mobile network operators globally, including the aforementioned carriers plus Rakuten Mobile, Orange, Telefonica, TIM, Saudi Telecom Company, MTN, Zain KSA, Etisalat, Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, Telkomsel, Smart Communications, Globe Telecom, Millicom, Smartfren, Telecom Argentina, Telstra, Africell, Liberty Latin America and others.
In conjunction with the confirmation of a target launch date, AST also updated its financial state. The company reported that it has more than $440.0 million in pro forma cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash as of June 30, 2024; this figure includes more than $155 million in stock warrant exchange proceeds, AST noted, of which $71 million has been received. The company also said that it has $51.5 million in credit that it can draw on.
“The company continues to advance discussions with quasi-governmental sources of non-dilutive capital, as well as discussions with additional strategic partners, following the blueprint of commercial prepayments alongside commercial agreements,” AST said in a release.
Andrew Johnson, who is chief financial and legal officer of AST SpaceMobile, said in a statement that the company “[continues] to have no plans to raise capital in an underwritten public equity offering through at least the end of 2024 and we believe we are sufficiently capitalized to execute our near-term operational initiatives.” He added that the company is “committed to funding AST SpaceMobile’s growth in a judicious manner … with a focus on commercial prepayments and quasi-governmental sources of capital.”
