Elon Musk's Starlink rival AST SpaceMobile Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTS) says it is targeting deploying over five dozen satellites to power its broadband internet service.
A Fully-Funded Plan To Deploy Satellites
The company unveiled its "fully-funded" plan, which aims to put over 45-60 satellites in orbit by 2026 to "support continuous service in the US, Europe, Japan, and other strategic markets, including the U.S. Government," company CEO Abel Avellan said, according to CNBC on Tuesday.
The company says it is also targeting orbital launches "every one to two months" in 2025 and 2026 to help meet its deployment targets. The company currently has six satellites in orbit.
SpaceX Could Miss Out On Golden Dome
The news comes as SpaceX's role in President Donald Trump's Golden Dome missile defense system could be in question, as the Pentagon reportedly showcased details of the system to over 3,000 defense contractors but did not mention Musk's company.
Elon Musk Slams Trump Over NASA Contracts
Meanwhile, Musk had slammed Trump over SpaceX's NASA contracts. "SpaceX won the NASA contracts by doing a better job for less money," Musk said in the post. He also added that moving the contracts to other companies could be risky for the astronauts.
SpaceX Could See Competition From RocketLab, Moves Bitcoin
Elsewhere, analysts predict that Musk's SpaceX could see competition from Rocket Lab USA Inc. (NASDAQ:RKLB). "The global demand surge in New Space tech and desperate need for an alternative to SpaceX," could help RocketLab, analysts said as the company reported a strong Q2 earnings performance.
SpaceX also moved its bitcoin for the first time in over three years as the company moved 1,308 BTC, which is worth over $154.40 million, from a wallet tied to the company.
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