Space-based cellular broadband network company AST SpaceMobile today announced the successful orbital launch of BlueBird 6. According to the company, the BlueBird 6 mission lifted off at 10:25 p.m. EST on December 23 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India. BlueBird 6 has now become the largest commercial communications array ever deployed in low Earth orbit, spanning nearly 2,400 square feet—three times larger than AST SpaceMobile’s previous BlueBirds 1–5, the company said in a statement on Wednesday, December 24, 2025.
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10x Capacity Boost for Space-Based Cellular Broadband
BlueBird 6 also offers 10 times the capacity of AST SpaceMobile’s six satellites currently in orbit, the company noted.
AST SpaceMobile said BlueBird 6 is engineered to deliver commercial and government applications, including high-speed 4G and 5G space-based cellular broadband directly to standard, unmodified smartphones, as well as government applications that benefit from the power, size, and patented technology of AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird spacecraft.
According to the company, the satellite is designed to enable peak data rates of up to 120 Mbps directly to standard, unmodified mobile devices, supporting voice, full data, and video applications from space.
Manufactured in the US, Launched From India
“This launch validates years of U.S. innovation and American manufacturing, executed by our team and marks the transition to scaled deployment. With BlueBird 6 now in orbit, we are firmly on the path to delivering true space-based cellular broadband directly to everyday smartphones, at a global scale,” said Abel Avellan, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of AST SpaceMobile.
BlueBird 6 was assembled, integrated, and tested at AST SpaceMobile’s manufacturing facilities in Midland, Texas. AST SpaceMobile operates nearly 500,000 square feet of manufacturing and operations facilities worldwide, supported by a workforce of more than 1,800 employees and a technology platform backed by over 3,800 patents and patent-pending claims.
AST SpaceMobile’s Global Operator Partnerships
AST SpaceMobile said it has agreements with over 50 mobile network operators globally, representing nearly 3 billion combined subscribers, and strategic partnerships with AT&T, Verizon, Vodafone, Rakuten, Google, American Tower, Bell, and stc Group.
The company further said that this “successful launch kicks off our next phase of execution and keeps us on track to launch 45–60 satellites by the end of 2026, with launches planned every one or two months on average.”
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Vodafone Idea Welcomes AST SpaceMobile Launch
Quoting a post by AST SpaceMobile on X, Vodafone Idea’s official news account shared a congratulatory message from its CEO to its satcom partner on the successful satellite launch. “We are excited to bring the Vi-AST partnership to India and believe it will mark the beginning of transformative impact in bridging the connectivity to the unconnected parts of India. It will open up a world of new possibilities, greater inclusivity, and unlock opportunities for millions of Indians,” said Abhijit Kishore, CEO of Vi.
Vi and AST SpaceMobile announced their partnership for satellite connectivity on June 18, 2025, to bring direct-to-device satellite broadband connectivity to India, supporting Digital India’s vision of universal mobile access.
“While there is widespread 4G and emerging 5G coverage, satellite communication will complement terrestrial connectivity to further expand broadband cellular access in some challenging terrains where the deployment of terrestrial mobile infrastructure might be difficult,” the companies said in a joint statement at the time of the partnership.
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“This partnership will bring together Vi’s robust national network with AST SpaceMobile’s revolutionary space-based cellular technology, which connects directly to everyday smartphones without the need for any specialized software, device support, or updates.”
Expected to commence operations in coming weeks
"In the coming weeks, it will start operations. The launch of Bluebird 6 has marked a new chapter in connectivity and I am very excited for what lies ahead as we move towards a truly connected planet," AST SpaceMobile COO Shanti B Gupta told PTI, according to a report dated December 28, 2025.
"By end of the first quarter of 2026, we anticipate about five launches of Bluebird. We have planned with launch of Bluebird satellites every two months to meet our target of launching 45-60 satellites by end of 2026," he reportedly said.
You might be excited about this launch news. Share your excitement and let us know how you think this will help you if you are from a remote or unconnected part of the country. Also, tell us what price point and real-world data speeds you would expect from the service by tweeting to us at TelecomTalk on X (formerly Twitter).
