AST SpaceMobile Announces BlueBirds 11, 12, and 13 Orbital Launch in the First Half of August

AST SpaceMobile announced that BlueBird satellites 11, 12, and 13 are targeted to launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida in the first half of August.

The mission will carry the next batch of next-generation satellites to low Earth orbit, further expanding the company's space-based cellular broadband network designed to provide voice, data, video, directly to standard, unmodified smartphones everywhere. 

"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 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 and our ability to steadily expand the network while we work to connect the unconnected and under-connected around the world."

BlueBirds 11, 12, and 13 feature commercial communications arrays measuring approximately 2,400 square feet, matching the scale of the BlueBird satellites currently operating in orbit. These next-generation satellites are expected to deliver nearly double the peak data speeds of AST SpaceMobile's initial Block 1 BlueBird satellites, which recently achieved peak download speeds of 98.9 Mbps directly to standard smartphones.

The satellites leverage AST SpaceMobile's next-generation stackable satellite architecture, including advanced composite carbon structures designed to support efficient multi-satellite launches and accelerated constellation deployment. Combined with the company's multi-provider launch strategy, the architecture is designed to provide flexibility in deploying AST SpaceMobile's global constellation.

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

The exact timing of orbital launches is subject to change based on a number of factors, including launch readiness of the launch provider, weather conditions, and other factors, many of which are beyond the companys control.