The successful launch is a big boost for the Texas-based company as well as India’s space programme, which wants to build its orbital space station among other ambitious projects. ISRO’s LVM3, which carried AST’s satellite, has launched Chandrayaan-2, Chandrayaan-3 and two OneWeb missions carrying 72 satellites in the past.
AST, which has five smaller commercial satellites in orbit, wants to launch as many as 60 more of the next-generation ones in 2026.
It also plans on pairing its satellites with typical cellular coverage to serve users in areas that otherwise would have limited or no connectivity and has signed partnerships with AT&T Inc, Verizon Communications Inc, Vodafone Group plc and other cellular providers.
The company expects to deliver this service as it becomes operational in some parts of the US and four other countries in early 2026.
See also: Saudi Arabia explores giant jet purchase from Airbus, Boeing — Bloomberg
SpaceX’s Starlink has its own partnership with T-Mobile US Inc in the burgeoning direct-to-device market.
AST SpaceMobile went public in April 2021 after merging with special purpose acquisition company New Providence Acquisition Corp. At the close of trading on Tuesday (Dec 23), the company’s stock price had gained about 300% this year.
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