FCC Abolishes 30-Year Spectrum Cap, Clears SpaceX $17B D2D Network
FCC approved SpaceX's $17B EchoStar spectrum buy and replaced decades-old EPFD limits with performance rules, enabling commercial smartphone-to-satellite messaging by late 2026.
AST SpaceMobile gets FCC approval as Blue Origin's New Glenn stays grounded
The FCC cleared AST SpaceMobile to deploy 248 D2D satellites on April 21, but Blue Origin's New Glenn remains grounded after losing a BlueBird payload on April 19, forcing AST to rethink its 2026 launch timeline.
AST wins 248-satellite license as its prime launch partner gets grounded
The FCC authorized AST SpaceMobile's full 248-satellite constellation on April 21, but three days earlier New Glenn suffered an upper-stage failure that will ground the rocket, the vehicle designed to deploy most of AST's satellites by 2026.
FCC Greenlights AST SpaceMobile's 248-Satellite Constellation
The FCC approved AST SpaceMobile to deploy 248 satellites for direct-to-smartphone broadband using 700/800 MHz spectrum in partnership with AT&T and Verizon, just days after the company lost a $23 million satellite to a launch failure.
Blue Origin's New Glenn launches first booster reuse with AST's record antenna
Blue Origin's NG-3 rolls to pad today for hotfire ahead of April 16 launch, carrying AST SpaceMobile's 2,400-square-foot phased array — the largest commercial antenna ever deployed to orbit — atop a flight-proven, refurbished booster.
Amazon Leo's FCC Gamble: 210 Satellites, July Deadline, $10B Launch Bill
Amazon's Leo satellite internet entered enterprise beta on April 8, 2026, but faces a critical FCC milestone: deploy 1,618 satellites by July 30 or lose its spectrum authorization. The company has roughly 210 in orbit and needs an approved extension.