BlueBird 1–5 Launch Successfully

AST SpaceMobile reached a major milestone with the successful launch of BlueBird 1 through BlueBird 5, its first group of commercial satellites.

The mission lifted off at 4:52 a.m. Eastern Time aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 40 in Florida. The early-morning launch window provided clear conditions, and the rocket’s ascent and stage separation proceeded nominally.

Following liftoff, the Falcon 9’s first stage completed its burn and separated as planned, while the second stage continued on to low Earth orbit. The BlueBird satellites were later deployed successfully, confirming a clean insertion into their intended orbit and concluding the launch portion of the mission.

For AST SpaceMobile, the day represented more than just a successful ride to orbit. BlueBird 1–5 marked the company’s first commercial deployment after years of development and on-orbit testing with earlier demonstration spacecraft. The launch validated AST’s ability to move from experimental missions to repeatable, operational launches.

With launch day complete, the mission transitioned into post-launch operations, including early spacecraft checkout and preparation for on-orbit deployment activities. Those next steps would set the stage for testing, carrier integration, and regulatory milestones in the weeks and months that followed.

The successful BlueBird 1–5 launch closed a critical chapter for AST SpaceMobile—and opened the door to the next phase of its direct-to-device satellite program.