ASTS loaded on a Real Rocket and ready for Launch!

Blue Origin said on X that the satellite has already been integrated with its NG-3 launch vehicle. BlueBird 7 is part of AST SpaceMobile’s next-generation Block 2 series, which is designed to deliver up to ten times the bandwidth of the company’s current satellites.

The platform is intended to provide nationwide coverage across the United States from space, covering more than 5,600 cells. Its beams are expected to handle up to 40 MHz of capacity, with peak speeds reaching around 120 Mbps for voice, video, and data services.

If successful, the spacecraft would become the largest commercially deployed satellite in low Earth orbit. The mission will carry a single payload with a mass of about 6,100 kilograms.

The launch is also set to mark the first reuse of a New Glenn booster, which previously flew on the NG-2 mission. NG-3 will be the program’s third attempt at recovery. The rocket stands about 98 meters tall and can deliver up to 45,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit.

AST SpaceMobile had originally aimed for a launch no earlier than April 10, but the timeline has since shifted to a mid-April window. The mission is scheduled to lift off from Launch Complex-36 at Cape Canaveral.

To the moon!