BlueBird 1-5
AST SpaceMobile's first five commercial satellites, each with a 693 square foot antenna array, used to prove phone-to-satellite service before the larger next-generation BlueBirds.
Why it matters
These satellites showed that a regular phone can connect to a satellite in low Earth orbit without special hardware. They give AST and its carrier partners a working network to test on while the bigger satellites are built and launched.
How the technology works
Each satellite deploys a 693 square foot phased-array antenna in low Earth orbit and works alongside AST's earlier BlueWalker 3 test satellite. Signals from phones are relayed to ground gateways that connect to carrier networks.
Sources
Updated Oct 22, 2026 · How we source facts · Suggest a correction