BlueWalker 3 is AST SpaceMobile’s prototype satellite and is designed to operate directly with standard, unmodified mobile devices. The spacecraft was built with an aperture of 693 square feet to establish connectivity directly with cell phones via 3GPP-standard frequencies. BlueWalker 3 launched to orbit at 9:20 p.m. ET on September 10, 2022, and is a predecessor to planned commercial satellites called BlueBirds.