SpaceX is scheduled to launch three AST SpaceMobile BlueBird direct-to-cell satellites early on June 17, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Multiple outlets report that the mission will use a Falcon 9 rocket and that viewers can watch the launch live. Spaceflight Now specifies liftoff is set for 2:39 a.m. EDT (0639 UTC) from SpaceX’s Pad 40 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
The planned flight is described as the third time SpaceX launches satellites for AST SpaceMobile. It is also the first launch for the company’s BlueBird “Block 2” iteration, indicating an updated version of the direct-to-cell satellite design compared with earlier missions. The coverage aligns on the core mission details—number of satellites, the launch date, the rocket and launch site, and the general purpose of the satellites for direct-to-cell communications—while focusing on timing and mission context.
