AST SpaceMobile – Spaceflight Now

Blue Origin hot fires its first previously flown booster, prepares for weekend launch

April 16, 2026 Will Robinson-Smith

The engine test, called a static fire, saw the company ignite all seven of its BE-4 engines for less than half a minute. Local maritime and aviation hazards suggest a launch could happen as soon as Sunday, April 19.

AST SpaceMobile secures multi-launch agreements with Blue Origin, ISRO and SpaceX

November 17, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

A batch of rockets will support sending up to about 60 of AST SpaceMobile’s Block 2 BlueBird satellites to orbit. The company’s goal is to establish a space-based cellular broadband network.

SpaceX launches five BlueBird satellites on Falcon 9 flight from Cape Canaveral

September 12, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

This was the first of the company’s first five commercial satellites for the BlueBird constellation. Liftoff from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station occurred at 4:52 a.m. EDT (0852 UTC).