AST SpaceMobile, which is building a satellite-based system to provide global 5G cellular access, says it will see 20 of its powerful Block 2 satellites launched this year. The first of that number will be launched during August on nan Indian rocket.

It already has five of its earlier Block 1 satellites in orbit which has enabled it to test connections with its partners such as Rakuten in Japan, Vodafone, and Verizon and AT&T in the US.

The first two of these Block 2 satellites, including FM1 (the Indian launch), will operate at an altitude of 520km, and the remaining 18 satellites will operate at an altitude of 690 km.

However, there’s a long way to go. AST is planning to have 243 of its satellites in orbit by the end of 2026, and then another 72 – or more – each year thereafter until 2028.

On July 25th, AST announced it had priced a private offering of $500 million of convertible notes, due in 2032, at $120.12 per share.

Other posts by :

1. SpaceX: IPO offer in days?
2. New Brittin, new BBC?
3. Forecast: SpaceX tracking to $20bn revenue in 2026
4. EchoStar’s Dish restructures debt obligations
5. AsiaSat hits Zee and JioStar with legal actions
6. Nvidia unveils orbital chip/computer for AI and data
7. Space Sector: ‘Profound Acceleration in 2026’
8. Starcloud wants 88,000 satellites
9. Lynk Global requests “experimental” satellite access

Categories: Articles, Broadband, Satellite

Tags: AST SpaceMobile, satellite