Oriented on making people closer

Texas-based startup AST SpaceMobile is positioning itself as a serious competitor to SpaceX's Starlink satellite constellation. The company plans to deploy 45 to 60 satellites into orbit by 2026 to create its own global broadband network. According to its latest financial report, AST SpaceMobile has $1.5 billion to fund the project.

The company's first test satellite, BlueWalker 3, was launched in 2022. A year later, in 2023, AST SpaceMobile made a historic 5G call from a satellite to a standard smartphone. The company has now launched five BlueBird satellites and aims to deploy an additional 243 satellites, which will require four more launches by the end of March 2026.

AST SpaceMobile's rapid expansion has already caused friction with SpaceX. Last month, SpaceX sent a letter to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission expressing concern that AST SpaceMobile's large satellites threaten the stability of low Earth orbit. The BlueWalker 3 satellite's antenna spans over 64 square meters, roughly the size of a tennis court, and the second-generation BlueBird satellites will be three times larger.

Competition in the space internet market is growing. Major players like Amazon, with its Project Kuiper, are also looking to secure their position. This growing competition highlights that the sustainability of low Earth orbit may become an even more pressing issue in the future.

ORIENT

Photo: AST SpaceMobile