The largest-ever communications satellite of its kind took a major step toward operation Tuesday: operator AST SpaceMobile announced the record-breaking spacecraft, whimsically called BlueBird 6, has successfully unfolded its humongous antenna.
Spanning some 2,400 square feet (223 square meters), it is the largest commercial communications array antenna ever deployed in low-Earth orbit. AST SpaceMobile hopes it will be the first of many: the Texas-based public company has six smaller satellites already operating in low-Earth orbit, with plans for scores more behemoths like BlueBird 6. Ultimately these will form a cellular broadband network aimed specifically at smartphones.
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