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.

AST SpaceMobile 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 the 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 10-fold increase in processing bandwidth compared to 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, which are equipped with communications arrays measuring 693 square feet, will be shipped to a launch site in Cape Canaveral, Florida, in the first week of August.

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 seven-day launch window in September have not been specified.

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

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