Could We Provide Better Cellphone Service With Fewer, Bigger Satellites?

Eutelsat, SpaceX (Starlink), and Amazon's Project Kuiper are all planning to deploy numerous Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, along with similar plans from China. Chinese entities plan mega-constellations totaling approximately 26,000 satellites; and now seek approval for 200,000 more. AST SpaceMobile, a Texas-based company, is taking a different approach with fewer, larger satellites. They are developing direct-to-cell technology through their large BlueBird satellites, using advanced antennas to connect directly to standard mobile phones. These BlueBird satellites offer global coverage with significantly fewer units compared to competitors. The BlueBird 6 satellite, the largest in LEO, boasts a vast surface area crucial for receiving signals. However, their size has caused controversy as the satellites are incredibly bright and can interfere with astronomical observations. AST SpaceMobile acknowledges this issue, and they are actively collaborating with the astronomy community to mitigate the impact. The company has demonstrated their technology's effectiveness, with existing satellites transmitting 5G signals to unmodified phones.