SpaceX Falcon 9 to Launch 3 Giant BlueBird Direct-to-Cell Satellites Early Wednesday
Summary: Early on June 17, 2026, a SpaceX Falcon 9 is set to launch three giant AST SpaceMobile BlueBird 8/9/10 direct-to-cell satellites from Florida, marking a key step in next-generation satellite-to-phone broadband.
According to Space.com, SpaceX is scheduled to launch a Falcon 9 rocket in the early hours of June 17, 2026, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The mission will carry three AST SpaceMobile BlueBird satellites, numbers 8, 9, and 10, into low Earth orbit. These Block 2 spacecraft feature AST SpaceMobile's large-aperture phased-array antennas, designed to deliver space-based cellular broadband directly to standard, unmodified smartphones.
The launch marks SpaceX's first Falcon 9 flight since its Nasdaq debut on June 14, 2026. AST SpaceMobile has positioned the BlueBird constellation as the first and only space-based cellular broadband network accessible directly from everyday mobile devices. In the run-up to liftoff, shares of AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) slipped more than 12 percent during a broader space-sector pullback that followed the SpaceX IPO.
Reportedly, each BlueBird satellite deploys a phased-array roughly 64 square meters in size, among the largest commercial antenna arrays ever flown. The three-satellite rideshare is expected to materially expand the constellation's capacity and footprint, paving the way for continuous direct-to-cell service. Specific launch window timing and target orbital parameters remain pending official SpaceX confirmation.