Three More BlueBird Satellites Headed to Orbit in August
Falcon 9 Launch From Cape Canaveral Follows Successful June Mission
Three more AST SpaceMobile satellites are scheduled to launch to low Earth orbit from Cape Canaveral, Florida, in the first half of August aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
“BlueBirds 11, 12, and 13 build on the momentum of our recent constellation and represent another important milestone as we prepare for commercial service.”
Scott Wisniewski, AST SpaceMobile
BlueBird satellites 11, 12, and 13 represent the next batch in AST SpaceMobile’s (NASDAQ: ASTS) growing direct-to-smartphone broadband constellation. The company’s previous mission, carrying BlueBirds 8, 9, and 10, launched in June 2026 and all three satellites are operating in orbit. The exact timing is subject to change based on launch provider readiness, weather, and other factors.
The three satellites carry commercial communications arrays measuring approximately 2,400 square feet — the same scale as the BlueBird satellites already on orbit. The company says the satellites are expected to deliver nearly double the peak data speeds of its initial Block 1 BlueBirds, which recorded peak download speeds of 98.9 Mbps directly to unmodified smartphones.
“With each successful launch, we move closer to our goal of making space-based cellular broadband accessible wherever people live, work, and travel,” said Scott Wisniewski, president of AST SpaceMobile. “BlueBirds 11, 12, and 13 build on the momentum of our recent constellation and represent another important milestone as we prepare for commercial service.”
The satellites use a stackable architecture built around advanced composite carbon structures, a design the company says supports multi-satellite launches and faster constellation deployment.
Wisniewski added that satellite production and assembly is continuing through BlueBird 37. “The progression from BlueBirds 8, 9, and 10 to this next mission, together with the continued production and assembly of satellites through BlueBird 37, reflects the strength of our manufacturing capabilities,” he said.
AST SpaceMobile holds agreements with nearly 60 mobile network operators worldwide, covering a combined subscriber base of more than 3 billion. Strategic partners include AT&T, Verizon, Vodafone, Rakuten, Google, Bell, Telus, stc Group, and American Tower.
The August launch will bring the company’s on-orbit BlueBird count to 13 satellites.