Tag: AST
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FCC Clears AST SpaceMobile to Test 800 MHz Satellite Connectivity
The 800 MHz band matters for direct-to-device service because lower-frequency spectrum penetrates buildings and reaches phones in more challenging environments. The authorization is a regulatory step that could expand the practical use cases for AST’s service beyond outdoor coverage. The action, reported on August 17, 2026, grants AST temporary permission to conduct tests rather than…
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AST SpaceMobile Pushes Commercial Satellite-to-Phone Service to Early 2027
The schedule change follows a series of launch vehicle disruptions affecting the Texas-based operator’s commercial providers. AST SpaceMobile originally partnered with Blue Origin to launch 45 BlueBird satellites aboard the heavy-lift New Glenn rocket, a deployment intended to establish initial continuous commercial coverage. A late-June 2026 ground test anomaly that caused an upper-stage explosion sidelined…
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New Glenn launches on third mission, successfully reuses booster for the first time
Just over five months after the launch of its second mission, Blue Origin’s partially reusable New Glenn rocket launched from Florida early Sunday morning. The mission marked Blue Origin’s first attempt at reusing a New Glenn first stage booster, with GS1-SN002 Never Tell Me The Odds launching again after previously launching the ESCAPADE mission to…