AST SpaceMobile Inc. confirmed on April 20, 2026, that its BlueBird 7 satellite failed to reach its designated operational orbit following a launch earlier today. The satellite, which was a key component of the company’s planned space-based cellular broadband constellation, was launched aboard Blue Origin’s New Glenn heavy-lift launch vehicle from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. While the launch vehicle successfully cleared the atmosphere, an anomaly during the upper-stage burn resulted in the satellite being deployed into an incorrect trajectory that cannot be corrected using onboard propulsion systems.
In a technical update released this afternoon, AST SpaceMobile engineers reported that ground teams successfully established contact with BlueBird 7. The satellite’s systems, including its power subsystems and primary flight computer, are functioning as expected. However, the orbital deviation is significant enough that the satellite cannot fulfill its mission requirements for providing 5G connectivity to unmodified mobile devices. Consequently, the company has initiated procedures to safely de-orbit the craft to prevent it from becoming space debris. The de-orbiting process is expected to take several days as the satellite’s remaining fuel is used to lower its perigee for atmospheric reentry.
BlueBird 7 was intended to be a part of the first generation of commercial satellites for AST SpaceMobile, featuring the company’s proprietary large-scale phased-array antennas. These antennas are designed to provide direct-to-cell connectivity, bypassing the need for specialized ground hardware. This specific unit was one of several planned for deployment in 2026 to expand the network's capacity and coverage area. The loss of this unit represents a disruption to the company’s deployment schedule, which aimed to achieve continuous global coverage with a constellation of approximately 90 satellites.
Blue Origin has not yet released a full telemetry report regarding the New Glenn’s performance during the mission. A brief statement from the launch provider indicated that a preliminary investigation into the second-stage engine performance is underway. This mission was one of the early commercial flights for the New Glenn rocket, which features a reusable first stage powered by seven BE-4 engines. The failure to achieve the precise orbital parameters required for BlueBird 7 marks a technical challenge for the launch platform’s reliability record.
AST SpaceMobile executives stated that the company maintains insurance coverage for the launch and the satellite hardware. The company’s manufacturing facility in Midland, Texas, continues production on subsequent BlueBird units, with BlueBird 8 and 9 currently in the final stages of integration and testing. Despite the loss of BlueBird 7, the company stated it remains committed to its long-term goal of eliminating cellular dead zones globally. Shares of AST SpaceMobile saw a sharp decline in trading following the announcement of the orbital failure.