AST SpaceMobile Deploys BlueBird 8, 9, and 10 on a SpaceX Falcon 9, Pivoting Launchers After Losing BlueBird 7
AST SpaceMobile's first three Block 2 BlueBird satellites reached orbit on a Falcon 9, two months after the company lost BlueBird 7 on Blue Origin's New Glenn.
Editor's Note ·
- Clarification:
- The article presents Abel Avellan's statement "The launch represents the continued execution of a vision once considered impossible: space-based cellular broadband to everyone, everywhere" as a full direct quote attributed with "said Abel Avellan." The cited Investing.com source renders the opening clause as indirect speech, quoting only "the continued execution of a vision once considered impossible: space-based cellular broadband to everyone, everywhere" (i.e., "the launch represents" is the source's own narration, not Avellan's quoted words). The quoted content is otherwise verbatim and the title "founder, chairman, and CEO of AST SpaceMobile" is accurate.
Overview
AST SpaceMobile launched its next three direct-to-cell satellites, BlueBird 8, 9, and 10, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on June 17, 2026, marking the company’s first deployment of its larger Block 2 spacecraft. According to Spaceflight Now, liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station happened at 2:39 a.m. EDT (0639 UTC), and SpaceX confirmed deployment of the three satellites at 4:10 a.m. EDT.
The mission follows the loss of BlueBird 7 on Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket in April, and represents a switch in launch providers as AST works to build out its constellation.
What We Know
The three satellites lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, aboard a Falcon 9, as reported by Space.com. The Falcon 9 first stage returned to Earth about 8.5 minutes after liftoff, touching down in the Atlantic Ocean on the SpaceX drone ship “A Shortfall of Gravitas,” according to Space.com, which noted it was the 29th launch and landing for that particular booster. Spaceflight Now reported that the booster, B1077, made the 156th landing on that vessel and the 625th booster recovery for SpaceX to date.
The Block 2 BlueBird satellites are physically much larger than the company’s earlier spacecraft. Each one carries a communications array measuring about 2,400 square feet (223 square meters), according to Spaceflight Now. AST describes the arrays as “nearly 2,400 square feet arrays, which will make them the largest commercial phased arrays ever deployed in low Earth orbit,” per the company’s official BlueBird page. That page lists the satellites as supporting 120 Mbps per coverage cell and more than 2,000 active cells per satellite, with 10 GHz of processing bandwidth.
The satellites are built to deliver space-based cellular broadband directly to standard smartphones. Investing.com reported that the Block 2 satellites deliver nearly double the peak data speeds of Block 1 models, which achieved 98.9 Mbps download speeds. “The launch represents the continued execution of a vision once considered impossible: space-based cellular broadband to everyone, everywhere,” said Abel Avellan, founder, chairman, and CEO of AST SpaceMobile, according to Investing.com.
The Pivot From Blue Origin
The June launch reflects a change of launch provider. AST had previously flown BlueBird 7 on Blue Origin’s New Glenn, but that mission failed. The April failure was attributed to an upper-stage engine thrust deficiency, which resulted in the BlueBird 7 satellite failing to reach its intended trajectory and eventually burning up upon reentry, according to SatNews. Spaceflight Now similarly reported that while the satellite separated from the launch vehicle and powered on, the altitude was too low to sustain operations with its on-board thruster technology and the spacecraft was de-orbited. The Machine Herald previously reported on that mission, in which New Glenn completed its first booster reuse but placed BlueBird 7 in the wrong orbit.
AST announced plans to launch its next three BlueBird spacecraft aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, targeted for mid-June 2026, according to SatNews. The outlet reported that by securing a near-term slot with SpaceX, AST SpaceMobile aims to fulfill its commitment to deliver “Supplemental Coverage from Space” (SCS) to its global partners.
Constellation Buildout
The deployment adds to a constellation AST is racing to expand. The company has over $1.2 billion in contracted revenue commitments and is under pressure to reach its goal of 45 to 60 operational satellites by the end of 2026, according to SatNews.
More spacecraft are in the pipeline. Investing.com reported that BlueBirds 11, 12, and 13 are in final preparation for shipment, and that next-generation BlueBird satellites through BlueBird 37 are currently in production and assembly.
What We Don’t Know
The cited sources do not specify when BlueBird 8, 9, and 10 will enter commercial service, how long the post-launch commissioning and array-deployment process will take, or the orbital parameters the three spacecraft ultimately reached. Nor do they confirm whether AST remains on track to hit the 45-to-60-satellite target by the end of 2026 following the loss of BlueBird 7.