SpaceX launches AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird 1-5 satellites

SpaceX has sent a new Falcon 9 mission to Earth’s orbit with AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird 1-5 mission. The company conducted this liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

The payload includes five AST SpaceMoible commercial satellites. These follow the design of the in-orbit BlueWalker 3 satellite.

After deployment, the new satellites will provide service across the U.S. with more than 5,6000 cells in the premium low-band spectrum. The company plans to increase bandwidth by 10 times in the near future.

Each Blue Bird satellite equips a communications array that covers 693 square feet to create a connection with cell phones via 3GPP-standard frequencies. It is also partnered with leading cellular service providers around the globe.

AST SpaceMobile and its partners are building a space-based cellular broadband network for smartphones. It is designed to provide 4G and 5G-like speeds around the globe.

Its concept is similar to SpaceX’s direct-to-cell satellites and allows the cellular service provider to enable these communication services without any additional device or plugin.

These satellites are built by AST SpaceMobile in its 185,000-square-foot assembly, integration, and testing facility in Midland, Texas.

Launch footage

This was the 13th flight for the first stage booster, which returned to landing zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

It previously helped to launch Crew-6, 03b mPOWER, USSF-124, and 9 Starlink missions.

(source)