Overview
- The FCC approved AST SpaceMobile to run a non-geostationary constellation of up to 248 satellites that connect directly to unmodified phones, a service the regulator classifies as Supplemental Coverage from Space.
- The order includes safeguards to protect other users and science, with limits on signal strength, operating areas and debris risk, plus ongoing coordination with the National Science Foundation, NASA and radio astronomy groups.
- AST reported its BlueBird 7 satellite was dropped into an orbit too low to sustain operations after Blue Origin’s New Glenn upper stage underperformed on a second burn, and Blue Origin said the FAA is overseeing its anomaly review.
- The company said it expects insurance to cover the lost spacecraft and still plans a launch every one to two months in 2026, targeting roughly 45 satellites in low Earth orbit by year-end through multiple launch providers.
- AST’s larger Block 2 satellites are built for smartphone data rates up to 120 Mbps using very large antennas, and the approval arrives as rivals expand direct-to-device service, with SpaceX and mobile carriers already rolling out offerings in several markets.