AST SpaceMobile Inc. (NASDAQ: ASTS) announced its BlueBird 7 satellite is scheduled to launch April 19 from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The launch window is set for 6:45 a.m. through 8:45 a.m. EDT on Blue Origin's New Glenn-3 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

The company is inviting qualified retail shareholders to attend the launch event in person. To be eligible, investors must hold shares, have been shareholders for at least six months, and remain shareholders at the time of application. Registration closes at 8 p.m. EDT on April 17, 2026.

BlueBird 7 features a phased-array antenna spanning approximately 2,400 square feet and is designed to deliver direct-to-device cellular broadband connectivity from space to standard smartphones. The satellite is engineered to support data speeds expected to exceed 120 Mbps and provide full 4G and 5G broadband capabilities, including voice, data, and video services.

"Every launch brings us closer to fulfilling our mission: connecting billions of people through space-based cellular broadband," said Scott Wisniewski, President of AST SpaceMobile.

The company stated that BlueBird 7 has what it describes as the largest communications array ever deployed in low Earth orbit. AST SpaceMobile operates manufacturing facilities in Midland, Texas, spanning nearly 500,000 square feet with 95% vertically integrated manufacturing capabilities.

The company has agreements with over 50 mobile network operators globally representing nearly 3 billion subscribers combined. Strategic partnerships include AT&T, Verizon, Vodafone, Rakuten, Google, American Tower, Bell and stc Group.

The exact timing of the launch is subject to change based on factors including launch readiness, weather conditions, and other circumstances. A live broadcast will be available on AST SpaceMobile's YouTube channel on launch day.