AST SpaceMobile schedules August 5 Falcon 9 launch for 3 satellites

AST SpaceMobile (NASDAQ: ASTS) has announced that its BlueBird satellites 11, 12, and 13 are scheduled to launch on August 5, 2026, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Liftoff is targeted for 3:42 a.m. EDT, with a secondary window available at 5:10 a.m. EDT.

The planned mission follows the June 2026 launch of BlueBird satellites 8, 9, and 10. The company said BlueBird satellites 14, 15, and 16 are already preparing for a subsequent mission, with satellite production advancing through unit 42.

According to a company press release, the next-generation BlueBird satellites are expected to deliver nearly double the peak download speeds of the initial Block 1 BlueBird satellites, which demonstrated peak download speeds of 98.9 Mbps directly to standard smartphones.

The satellites use a stackable architecture and lightweight composite carbon structures designed to support multi-satellite launches. AST SpaceMobile says approximately 95% of the technology is developed in-house, with a workforce of more than 2,250 employees across more than 500,000 square feet of manufacturing and operations facilities.

"The upcoming launch of BlueBirds 11, 12, and 13 showcases our ability to rapidly and consistently build, launch, and deploy the largest phased arrays in low Earth orbit," said Scott Wisniewski, President of AST SpaceMobile.

AST SpaceMobile states it has agreements with nearly 60 mobile network operators globally, representing over 3 billion combined subscribers, along with partnerships with AT&T, Verizon, Vodafone, Rakuten, Google, Bell, Telus, stc Group, and American Tower.

The company noted that launch timing is subject to change based on launch readiness, weather conditions, and other factors.

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