New Glenn | BlueBird Block 2 #4
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AST SpaceMobile’s Block 2 BlueBird satellites are designed to deliver up to 10 times the bandwidth capacity of the BlueBird Block 1 satellites, required to achieve 24/7 continuous cellular broadband service coverage in the United States, with beams designed to support a capacity of up to 40 MHz, enabling peak data transmission speeds up to 120 Mbps, supporting voice, full data and video applications. The Block 2 BlueBirds, featuring as large as 2400 square foot communications arrays, will be the largest satellites ever commercially deployed in Low Earth orbit once launched.
This launch will feature 8 satellites.
Mission Profile
Launch Date
Dec 31
2026
Time
00:00
UTC
Rocket
New Glenn
Site
ll-location-12
ll-pad-121
Orbit
LEO
Low Earth Orbit
history
Launch Timeline
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Propellant Loading
Propellant loading begins (liquid natural gas and liquid oxygen).
Go Poll
Go poll for terminal count.
Terminal Count
Terminal count begins; the flight computer takes control.
Internal Power
Vehicle switches to internal battery power.
Ignition
Seven BE-4 engines ignite and throttle up.
Liftoff
The rocket clears Launch Complex 36 (LC-36) at Cape Canaveral.
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Max Q
Point of maximum aerodynamic pressure (peak mechanical stress).
MECO
Main Engine Cutoff: first stage engines shut down.
Stage Separation
Booster separates from the second stage.
SES-1
Stage 2 engine start: two BE-3U engines ignite to carry the payload toward orbit.
Fairing Jettison
Payload fairing separates once the vehicle is above the dense atmosphere.
Reentry Burn
A subset of BE-4 engines fires to reduce heating during atmospheric entry.
Landing Burn
A single engine ignites to slow the booster for final approach.
Touchdown
Booster lands on the drone ship Jacklyn (downrange recovery).
SECO-1
Second Engine Cutoff: the stage reaches its initial parking orbit.
SES-2
Second upper-stage burn to circularize the orbit or begin an interplanetary trajectory.
SECO-2
Final engine shutdown.
Payload Deployment
Payload separates from the upper stage (mission-specific).
Mission Payload
AST SpaceMobile’s Block 2 BlueBird satellites are designed to deliver up to 10 times the bandwidth capacity of the BlueBird Block 1 satellites, required to achieve 24/7 continuous cellular broadband service coverage in the United States, with beams designed to support a capacity of up to 40 MHz, enabling peak data transmission speeds up to 120 Mbps, supporting voice, full data and video applications. The Block 2 BlueBirds, featuring as large as 2400 square foot communications arrays, will be the largest satellites ever commercially deployed in Low Earth orbit once launched. This launch will feature 8 satellites.