A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched three next-generation BlueBird satellites for AST SpaceMobile early Wednesday morning from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Liftoff occurred at 2:39 a.m. ET. The first stage booster landed on the droneship “A Shortfall of Gravitas” in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 8.5 minutes later. This marked the 29th flight for the booster.
The three satellites — BlueBird 8, 9, and 10 — are part of AST SpaceMobile’s effort to build a space-based cellular broadband network capable of connecting directly to standard smartphones. Deployment of the satellites occurred over a roughly 10.5-minute window beginning about 54 minutes after launch.
Scott Wisniewski, president of AST SpaceMobile, said in a statement ahead of the launch: “Our upcoming launch marks another important milestone as we continue advancing the deployment of our space-based cellular broadband network. Each BlueBird satellite launched expands our ability to support seamless space-based broadband mobile connectivity directly to everyday smartphones.”
The Block 2 BlueBird satellites feature large antennas that unfurl to nearly 2,400 square feet (223 square meters), significantly larger than earlier versions. These next-generation spacecraft aim to provide expanded coverage and capacity for the company’s planned constellation in low Earth orbit.
This mission comes after a setback in April 2026, when BlueBird 7 was lost due to an anomaly during a Blue Origin New Glenn launch that placed it into the wrong orbit. BlueBird 6 reached orbit successfully in December 2025 aboard an Indian LVM3 rocket. With today’s launch, AST SpaceMobile has now placed 10 BlueBird satellites in orbit, quadrupling its count of next-generation units.
SpaceX confirmed the successful deployment of all three satellites. AST SpaceMobile has described the network as a partnership-driven system intended to work with existing mobile carriers to extend coverage to remote and underserved areas without requiring specialized hardware.
Deployment of all three BlueBird satellites confirmed
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) June 17, 2026
The Falcon 9 performed nominally throughout the ascent, with fairing separation and second-stage burns proceeding as planned. This was the company’s latest commercial mission supporting satellite constellation deployment.
AST SpaceMobile continues to expand its satellite fleet as it works toward initial commercial service. The company has stated that additional launches are planned in the coming months to build out the constellation.
