As AST SpaceMobile tries to compete with SpaceX's cellular Starlink system, the company is facing a possible delay with a crucial prototype satellite. The FM1 prototype was supposed to launch this month via India’s space agency, ISRO, marking an important step in helping AST SpaceMobile deliver satellite connectivity to phones. But last week, the ISRO's chairman indicated that FM1 won't take off on time, according to local media. ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan was recorded twice saying that the satellite launch will occur within three or even four months, presumably pushing the FM1’s deployment to late Q4. According to The Hindu newspaper, the satellite is slated to arrive in India in September. Any delay risks pushing back AST's timeline to deliver satellite connectivity to phones. That’s because the FM1 is a prototype designed to test the company’s second-generation BlueBird satellite design, which is about three times larger than its existing five BlueBird satellites in orbit. #ast ...