TEXAS FIRM LAUNCHES LARGEST COMMERCIAL SATELLITE

The huge satellite is called BlueBird6 and it was launched on the 23rd of December from India’s Satish Dhawan Space Center, blazing the path to the so-called next-generation constellation of space-based cellular broadband satellites by AST SpaceMobile. The satellite features an array of antennas which, when deployed, compares in size to the dimensions of a tennis court: 693 square feet, or about 64 square metres.

The project by the Texas-based startup is considered a direct rival to SpaceX’s Starlink constellation.

Last September, the FCC’s Space Bureau granted AST SpaceMobile limited use of frequencies in the amateur band between 430 and 440 MHz.

Permission was given on an emergency basis only after overwhelming objections raised by ham radio operators and amateur radio societies worldwide. They argued that alternate UHF frequencies are available for the satellite’s telemetry, tracking and command functions.