What Happened
New Rocket To Launch BlueBird Satellites Starting Late 2028
AST SpaceMobile has announced plans to build its own reusable rocket, Blacklift, to launch its BlueBird satellites. The rocket will be capable of carrying up to five BlueBird satellites at once and is expected to start launching in late 2028. AST SpaceMobile will pay Firefly Aerospace $800 million for a perpetual engine license, plus $250 million for engines and $250 million for engineering support. This move is seen as a strategic step to reduce dependence on external launch providers, as reported by Unknown Source.