AST SpaceMobile provided a business update and Q1 2026 results, announcing the FCC has authorized commercial SpaceMobile Service in the United States for direct-to-device broadband connectivity using its network of up to 248 satellites. The company is preparing to launch BlueBird 8, 9, and 10 satellites in mid-June with SpaceX, targeting approximately 45 satellites in orbit by the end of 2026. A new record was achieved with 98.9 Mbps peak data speeds from an in-orbit Block 1 BlueBird satellite directly to an unmodified smartphone over international waters, with Q1 2026 revenue reported at $14.7 million.
The FCC approval gives AST SpaceMobile a regulatory path to commercial service in the U.S. for direct-to-device broadband, while the company continues building out the satellite fleet needed to support it. The launch cadence matters because AST is still moving from demonstration to scale: BlueBird 8, 9, and 10 are due in mid-June, and management is targeting about 45 satellites in orbit by year-end. Also worth watching is whether the company can convert that buildout into the revenue ramp it described, starting from $14.7 million in Q1 against full-year guidance of $150 million to $200 million.
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