Live coverage: SpaceX to launch 3 Block 2 BlueBird satellites for AST SpaceMobile
The mission follows the loss of BlueBird 7 and will deploy 6-ton satellites for AST SpaceMobile’s broadband network.
- On Wednesday, June 17, 2026, SpaceX successfully launched three AST SpaceMobile BlueBird satellites—BlueBird 8, 9, and 10—from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station using a Falcon 9 rocket at 2:39 a.m. EDT.
- This mission marks recovery from a setback earlier this year when the BlueBird 7 satellite was lost following an anomaly during a Blue Origin New Glenn launch in April, returning the constellation buildout to its previously guided path.
- Each of the three BlueBird satellites features a communications array measuring about 2,400 square feet, the largest commercial arrays ever deployed in low Earth orbit, engineered to deliver peak data speeds of nearly 200 Mbps to standard smartphones.
- Following the successful launch, AST SpaceMobile shares surged 6% in Wednesday morning trading, supported by partnerships with nearly 60 mobile network operators representing more than 3 billion subscribers globally.
- BlueBirds 11, 12, and 13 are in final preparations for shipment to Cape Canaveral, while the company targets approximately 45 BlueBird satellites in orbit by year-end 2026 to advance its space-based broadband constellation.
13 Articles
13 Articles
SpaceX Booster Lands 29th Flight As AST SpaceMobile Deploys Record-Size BlueBird Trio
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, an…
AST SpaceMobile Jumps 6%, SpaceX Climbs 3% as the Biggest Direct-to-Phone Satellites Ever Reach Orbit
AST SpaceMobile (NASDAQ:ASTS) stock was up 6% in Wednesday morning trading to $87 and change, after the company confirmed the successful launch of its three largest direct-to-phone satellites overnight. Meanwhile, SpaceX (NASDAQ:SPCX) stock rose 3% to $208 and change as the rocket maker added another high-profile commercial mission to its 2026 cadence. AST SpaceMobile shares ... AST SpaceMobile Jumps 6%, SpaceX Climbs 3% as the Biggest Direct-to…
Why Is AST SpaceMobile Stock Gaining Wednesday? - AST SpaceMobile (NASDAQ:ASTS)
AST SpaceMobile Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTS) stock rose more than 6% in Wednesday’s premarket session after the company successfully launched three more BlueBird satellites, marking another milestone in the buildout of its space-based cellular broadband network. The move outpaced the broader market, with S&P 500 futures up just 0.1%, suggesting the rally was driven by company-specific news rather than broader market sentiment. AST SpaceMobile Launches 3 B…
After loss on Blue Origin flight, SpaceX sends company's satellites to orbit
A Texas-based satellite company had a much better day with SpaceX early Wednesday than it did the last time it tried to get a payload to space with Blue Origin. A SpaceX Falcon 9 launched at 2:39 a.m. from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s ...
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