AST SpaceMobile gets FCC approval as Blue Origin's New Glenn stays grounded
The FCC cleared AST SpaceMobile to deploy 248 D2D satellites on April 21, but Blue Origin's New Glenn remains grounded after losing a BlueBird payload on April 19, forcing AST to rethink its 2026 launch timeline.
AST wins 248-satellite license as its prime launch partner gets grounded
The FCC authorized AST SpaceMobile's full 248-satellite constellation on April 21, but three days earlier New Glenn suffered an upper-stage failure that will ground the rocket, the vehicle designed to deploy most of AST's satellites by 2026.
FCC Greenlights AST SpaceMobile's 248-Satellite Constellation
The FCC approved AST SpaceMobile to deploy 248 satellites for direct-to-smartphone broadband using 700/800 MHz spectrum in partnership with AT&T and Verizon, just days after the company lost a $23 million satellite to a launch failure.
AST SpaceMobile Loses Block 2 Satellite to New Glenn Orbit Error
AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird 7 launched aboard New Glenn on April 19 but was placed in too-low an orbit by the upper stage, forcing de-orbit. The loss threatens the company's 45-satellite 2026 target and exposes launch cadence risk.
New Glenn's First Booster Reuse Succeeds, Upper Stage Fails Customer
Blue Origin landed its first reused New Glenn booster on NG-3 today, but the upper stage placed AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird 7 satellite into a lower-than-planned orbit, rendering it a total loss—splitting the mission verdict on booster reuse versus operational reliability.
Blue Origin Attempts First Reflown New Glenn Booster, AST SpaceMobile Payload Ready
Blue Origin hot-fired its first recycled New Glenn booster on April 16, targeting April 17 launch of AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird 7 satellite—the company's critical proof point for booster reuse cadence.
Blue Origin's New Glenn launches first booster reuse with AST's record antenna
Blue Origin's NG-3 rolls to pad today for hotfire ahead of April 16 launch, carrying AST SpaceMobile's 2,400-square-foot phased array — the largest commercial antenna ever deployed to orbit — atop a flight-proven, refurbished booster.
Atlas V Hits Payload Record: Amazon Leo's Path to Scale
ULA's Atlas V 551 launched 29 Amazon Leo satellites on April 4—the heaviest payload in the rocket's history—via an RL10C engine upgrade and four-tier dispenser. Amazon is now deploying at scale, but remains 1,300+ satellites behind Starlink.