AST BlueBird 6/FM1 launch ‘early December’
October 24, 2025
By Chris Forrester
After a considerable delay and much-promised delivery dates, India’s Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has confirmed that AST SpaceMobile’s (AST) FM1 (aka BlueBird 6) will definitely launch during the first week of December.
It is quite possible that BlueBird 7 (aka FM2) could also launch in December, although there is considerable uncertainty as to who will launch the craft.
The Jeff Bezoz-backed Blue Origin rocket company is contracted to launch eight BlueBirds on one flight. Blue Origin says: “To Be Determined” in 2026 for its launch of the eight AST satellites.
Consequently, SpaceX is a likely alternate for FM2 although – as yet – the BlueBird FM2 is not showing on SpaceX’s launch manifest.
AST, in its prospectus for the cash-raising exercise published on October 23rd, says: “We plan to achieve noncontinuous SpaceMobile Service in the selected, targeted geographical markets with the launch and operation of a total of 25 BB satellites (five Block 1 BB satellites and 20 Block 2 BB satellites). We believe the operation of a constellation of 25 BB satellites will enable us to potentially generate cash flows from operating activities to further support the buildup of the remaining constellation. We believe we can enable Continuous SpaceMobile Service coverage across key markets such as the United States, Europe, Japan and other strategic markets with the launch and operation of a total of approximately 45 to 60 BB satellites.”
Meanwhile, AT&T’s CEO John Stankey spoke enthusiastically about AST during his Q3 earnings call on October 22nd, saying: “I view the LEO technology as really exciting technology. I think it’s going to be fantastic for consumers and businesses. I think it’s going to bring a realm of innovation into networking that we’re going to see new things pop up that are going to make networks more resilient, more trusted, do some things that they couldn’t do before.”
He added, talking about AST, “So I’m really excited about them. I think we’re a natural integrator of that technology given our extensive customer relationships, our ability to market, use our brand, to aggregate, take friction out of acquisition. So, I would expect moving forward that we can be a big purveyor of those products and services. As you know, we have a very close relationship with AST [SpaceMobile]. We want to help them move along and scale their product, and we think it’s a unique approach to it where they, right from the start, were designing satellites to be perfectly compatible with consumer and user devices that were out there that didn’t require large investment in CPE and equipment to make it work.”