AST SpaceMobile service launch delayed

Details: Vaughan O'Grady; Category: Satellite Networks; 20 July 2026; 1558 views

Satellite-to-phone specialist AST SpaceMobile, whose planned or existing trials include a number of developing markets, has rescheduled its commercial direct-to-device (D2D) service launch to early 2027 from late 2026.

The company has also announced plans to raise up to US$1 billion through a convertible senior notes offering to fund ongoing operations, secure launch capacity, and evaluate potential strategic acquisitions.

The operational schedule adjustment, announced last week, apparently follows significant launch vehicle disruptions encountered by AST SpaceMobile’s commercial providers. The company originally partnered with Blue Origin, a private American space technology company, to launch 45 BlueBird satellites aboard the heavy-lift New Glenn rocket to establish initial continuous commercial coverage.

However, as Satnews, a provider of satellite industry information, reports, a late-June 2026 ground test anomaly resulting in an upper-stage explosion sidelined the New Glenn vehicle, limiting near-term launch availability. Plans were also hit by the loss of a BlueBird satellite earlier this year.

To rebuild its active constellation footprint, the company’s next three satellites (BlueBirds 11, 12, and 13) have completed fabrication and are scheduled to launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket during the first half of August 2026, bringing AST SpaceMobile’s total in-orbit fleet to 13 space vehicles.

Despite its setbacks, this has been a busy year for the company. We reported recently that Axian Telecom, the parent company of pan-African telecom group Yas, is partnering with AST SpaceMobile to deliver direct-to-device (D2D) satellite services across Yas’ markets in sub-Saharan Africa.

In March operator Orange announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with AST SpaceMobile and Satellite Connect Europe, related to collaboration on direct-to-device (D2D) technology in relevant Orange markets.

But there has been activity planned for some while before these deals. Back in 2022, for example, Globe Telecom in the Philippines penned a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with AST SpaceMobile to boost its coverage and connect underserved areas in the Philippines, as did Smart in 2021.