Eseandre Mordi
⬤ AST SpaceMobile is gearing up for the late February launch of its BlueBird 7 satellite, which will ride aboard Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket. This mission doubles as the inaugural flight for New Glenn and represents a major step forward for AST SpaceMobile's space-based cellular broadband network that connects directly to standard smartphones.
⬤ The BlueBird 7 mission is designed to bridge AST SpaceMobile's operations toward its more advanced Block 2 satellite architecture. New Glenn's heavy-lift capability means it can deploy up to 8 Block 2 BlueBird satellites in a single launch—a significant efficiency boost that will help the company scale its constellation much faster than previous deployment methods.
⬤ Looking ahead to 2026, AST SpaceMobile has mapped out an aggressive launch schedule with missions planned every 1 to 2 months. The company is aiming to get between 45 and 60 satellites into orbit by year's end, which would dramatically expand coverage and strengthen network reliability for direct-to-device connectivity across broader geographic areas.
⬤ The timing of the BlueBird 7 launch and these ambitious deployment targets signal that AST SpaceMobile is entering a critical execution phase. How well the company delivers on its satellite launches and constellation buildout will be crucial in proving its technology works at scale and establishing its position in the fast-growing satellite-to-cellular communications market.
Eseandre Mordi
