The Bluewalker 3 satellite features a 64m2 antenna system designed to provide 5G broadband connectivity for mobile devices on the ground.
Bluewalker 3, the experimental satellite from AST SpaceMobile in Texas, has deployed the largest commercial communication antenna system in low Earth orbit, according to a company announcement on November 15. The satellite was launched aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket in September.
The 64m2 communication antenna system is designed to directly provide 5G network connectivity to mobile devices using standard 3GPP frequencies. According to the announcement, the satellite has an observation area of over 777,000 km2 on the Earth’s surface.
“Everyone deserves access to mobile broadband, regardless of where they live. Our goal is to bridge the connectivity gap affecting billions of people worldwide,” said Abel Avellan, Chairman and CEO of AST SpaceMobile. “The successful deployment of Bluewalker 3 is a significant step towards mobile broadband technology in space and paves the way for the production of Bluebird satellites.”
The satellite has an observation area of over 777,000 km2 on the Earth’s surface.
AST SpaceMobile has announced that it has signed agreements with several mobile network operators, including Vodafone Group, AT&T, Orange, Africell, Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, and Bell Canada. In the coming months, AST SpaceMobile will begin testing programs across six continents with some of these operators.
Previously, astronomers expressed concerns that the Bluebird satellite constellation would reflect sunlight down to Earth, causing streaks in astronomical images and affecting scientific data. Some experts, such as astronomer Cees Bassa, noted that when Bluewalker 3 deploys its massive antenna, it could become one of the brightest objects in the night sky.
