AST SpaceMobile wrapped up construction of its first five satellites with a planned shipment of the birds in the first week of August followed by a seven-day launch window the following month.

Chair and CEO Abel Avellan stated the five Bluebird satellites are based on successful tests of its in-orbit BlueWalker 3 satellite.

In the US, it will use Verizon and AT&T’s 850MHz spectrum, which is compatible with current standard smartphones, for a direct-to-device service.

Avellan explained the Bluebird satellites will provide nationwide non-continuous service across the US over 5,600 cells on the low-band spectrum.

The Bluebird satellites will have a planned ten-fold increase in processing bandwidth compared with BlueWalker 3.

“Completing the manufacturing, assembly and environmental testing for these satellites represents a significant milestone in our mission to bridge the digital divide and deliver connectivity to those who need it most,” Avellan said.

The satellites are equipped with communications arrays measuring 693 square feet and will be shipped to a launch site in Cape Canaveral in the US state of Florida.

A representative for AST SpaceMobile told Mobile World Live the satellites are being launched directly into their target orbit by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.

Dates for the launch window have not been specified.

AST SpaceMobile previously targeted Q1 2024 for launch of the five new satellites, but Avellan stated on an earnings call in May it would move those birds to the launch site between July and August, with launches to occur shortly after.

The direct-to-device space race is heating up as AST SpaceMobile, T-Mobile US and SpaceX, and Apple plan to deploy various commercial services over the coming months.

AST SpaceMobile is financially backed by AT&T, Verizon, Google and Vodafone Group.