AST SpaceMobile confirm satellites shipping date
July 26, 2024
By Chris Forrester
There has been plenty of speculation as to the precise position and readiness of AST SpaceMobile’s first satellites. July 25th saw an official notice that its five AST BlueBird 1 craft have completed final assembly and are now ready for shipment to Cape Canaveral during the first week of August, with a 7-day launch window in September.
“This is a momentous occasion for AST SpaceMobile. These first five satellites are built on the success of our in-orbit BlueWalker 3 satellite and will provide US nationwide non-continuous service with over 5,600 cells in premium low-band spectrum, with a planned 10-fold increase in processing bandwidth,” said Abel Avellan, Chairman/CEO of AST SpaceMobile.
He added: “Completing the manufacturing, assembly, and environmental testing for these satellites represents a significant milestone in our mission to bridge the digital divide and deliver connectivity to those who need it most. We are eager to see these pioneering satellites take flight and begin laying the foundation for our global cellular broadband network.”
Monitoring and final testing of the space-ready satellites will continue up until launch vehicle integration. As of July 18th, the satellites have an updated, contracted, 7-day launch window during the month of September. The exact launch date will be confirmed closer to the launch window and shared with the public.
“The exact timing of satellite delivery and launch is subject to uncertainty and is contingent on a number of factors, including the final normal course of testing the satellites, regulatory approvals, confirmation of the final launch date by the launch provider, logistics, weather conditions, and other factors, many of which are beyond our control,” said AST.
The positive news drove AST’s share price up 24.5 per cent to $16.64. One bank report (Scotia Bank) issued an ‘upgrade’ on AST’s prospects and gave the company a price target of $21.10 (from a previous $12.90).
AST has agreements and understandings with more than 45 mobile network operators globally, which have over 2.8 billion existing subscribers total, including Vodafone Group, AT&T, Verizon, Rakuten Mobile, Bell Canada, Orange, Telefonica, TIM, Saudi Telecom Company, Zain KSA, Etisalat, Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, Telkomsel, Smart Communications, Globe Telecom, Millicom, Smartfren, Telecom Argentina, MTN, Telstra, Africell, Liberty Latin America and others. AT&T, Verizon, Vodafone, Google, Rakuten, American Tower, and Bell Canada are also existing investors in AST SpaceMobile.