Full Breakdown
AST SpaceMobile Launches Three BlueBird Satellites on SpaceX Falcon 9
6/20/2026, 11:47:34 AM
Launch of BlueBird 8, 9, and 10
On June 17, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station carrying three AST SpaceMobile satellites—BlueBird 8, BlueBird 9, and BlueBird 10. The payload reached low-Earth orbit.
Background & Context
AST SpaceMobile’s earlier attempt to place a BlueBird satellite in orbit occurred two months earlier when BlueBird 7 launched on Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket. That launch placed the satellite in an incorrect orbit, leading to its atmospheric re-entry and destruction. A subsequent New Glenn test firing in late May resulted in an explosion.
Key Figures & Groups
- AST SpaceMobile – telecommunications company that designs and builds the BlueBird satellites in Midland, Texas.
- Abel Avellan – founder, chairman and CEO of AST SpaceMobile.
- SpaceX – launch provider of the Falcon 9 vehicle.
- Blue Origin – developer of the New Glenn launch system used for the BlueBird 7 mission.
Data & Statistics
- Each BlueBird satellite measures roughly 2,400 square feet, the largest commercial communications array in low-Earth orbit.
- Designed peak speeds approach 200 Mbps per device, supporting voice, data, and video to smartphones.
- Block 1 BlueBird satellites previously achieved peak download speeds of 98.9 Mbps.
- BlueBird 11-13 are slated for shipment, and production continues through BlueBird 37.
Official Statements & Responses
AST SpaceMobile’s leadership described the launch as continuing the goal to provide space-based cellular broadband worldwide. The CEO said the new satellites expand a market the company claims to have invented and connect directly to everyday smartphones without ground infrastructure.
Verbatim Quotes
- “BlueBirds 8, 9, and 10 represent the continued execution of a vision once considered impossible: space-based cellular broadband to everyone, everywhere,” — Abel Avellan, Founder, Chairman & CEO, AST SpaceMobile
- “Our team has built a new class of space-based cellular broadband technology that connects seamlessly to everyday smartphones. This is a fundamental transformation of how the world connects. We invented this market, and we are executing and advancing our network to make global, space-based cellular broadband a reality.” — Abel Avellan, AST SpaceMobile
Why It Matters / Impact
The satellites are designed to deliver peak data speeds of up to 200 Mbps directly to standard smartphones, supporting voice, broadband data, and video from space. According to the company, this technology enables space-based cellular broadband to everyone, everywhere, potentially expanding global connectivity.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The source provides no independent verification of the claimed 200 Mbps speed or satellite performance after deployment. No external assessments of market impact or regulatory considerations are included.
What’s Next
AST SpaceMobile plans to ship BlueBird 11-13 for upcoming launches and continues assembling satellites up to BlueBird 37. The roadmap suggests further expansion of its low-Earth-orbit broadband constellation soon.
