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AST SpaceMobile (NASDAQ:ASTS) stock increased by 6% following the announcement of its BlueBird 7 orbital launch, set for late February from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station using Blue Origin's New Glenn launch vehicle. BlueBird 7 is the second satellite in AST SpaceMobile's initiative to create a space-based cellular broadband network for standard smartphones, featuring a communications array of nearly 2,400 square feet, the largest commercial array in low Earth orbit.

The satellite is designed to achieve peak data rates of up to 120 Mbps and is supported by over 3,800 patent and patent-pending claims. AST SpaceMobile plans to launch 45-60 satellites by the end of 2026 with an average of one launch every one to two months. An invitation for an in-person launch event for stakeholders will be extended, and the launch will be broadcast live on AST SpaceMobile's YouTube channel.