"Boosters On. Wings Out!": AST SpaceMobile Launches Biggest Satellite Yet To Take On Starlink
AST SpaceMobile launched its largest-ever satellite, BlueBird 6, from India earlier on Wednesday, marking the company's first satellite deployment in its low-Earth-orbit (LEO) constellation. This constellation is designed to provide direct-to-smartphone connectivity and compete with SpaceX's Starlink. The launch comes as the LEO industry is expected to see intensified competition in 2026, especially if SpaceX proceeds with an IPO.
On X, AST SpaceMobile announced that its BlueBird 6 satellite - designed to deliver direct-to-smartphone cellular connectivity from space and function as a space-based cell tower - successfully reached orbit after launching aboard the Indian Space Research Organisation's LVM3 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre.
AST SpaceMobile Announces Successful Orbital Launch of BlueBird 6, the Largest Commercial Communications Array Ever Deployed in Low Earth Orbithttps://t.co/STxx8tNnlQ
— AST SpaceMobile (@AST_SpaceMobile) December 24, 2025
CEO Abel Avellan thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for supporting the US-India space partnership that enabled the BlueBird 6 satellite launch.
Congratulations to Prime Minister @narendramodi, @isro, and @NSIL_India on the successful launch of our BlueBird 6 satellite—the largest-ever commercial communications satellite in low Earth orbit.🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀
— Abel Avellan (@AbelAvellan) December 24, 2025
Perfect execution from both teams in India and the U.S. We are now in… pic.twitter.com/z7wzNodOsD
AST currently operates five commercial satellites in orbit and plans to deploy more than 60 next-generation satellites in 2026. The company has partnered with major telecom providers, including AT&T, Verizon Communications, and Vodafone Group, to integrate satellite coverage with existing cellular networks.
Boosters on. Wings out! 🚀 #SpaceMob cc: @AST_SpaceMobile pic.twitter.com/Z8fC5l6GVA
— AT&T (@ATT) December 24, 2025
AST shares in New York are up 3% on the session, adding to the year-to-date gains of more than 300%.
Meanwhile, SpaceX's Starlink is years ahead of the competition, with more than 9,400 satellites in orbit, making it the largest satellite constellation ever assembled. Starlink has partnered with T-Mobile US.
The latest Starlink data shows that Elon Musk's space internet company is adding more than 21,000 customers per day, bringing the total to 9 million customers worldwide.
BREAKING: SpaceX has announced that @Starlink now has over 9 million customers, up from 8M in November and 7M in August 2025.
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) December 23, 2025
Starlink added a record 21,275 new customers on average per day since they hit 8M, smashing their previous record of 14,250. That growth rate is a… pic.twitter.com/AqqgERUkMh
In recent weeks, SpaceX trademarked "Starlink Mobile," and Musk confirmed a SpaceX IPO set for next year.
The key takeaway is that the LEO space industry is set to accelerate next year. We've previously explained ways to profit (read here), especially with the news that AI data centers will be launched aboard SpaceX rockets. After that, the focus will shift to the Moon and then Mars, meaning we're still in the early stages of this LEO industry.