Created 5-Aug-26
Modified 5-Aug-26
Visitors 3
10 photos
from spacex.com:
SpaceX launched the latest trio of AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in the predawn hours of Wednesday morning.
The Falcon 9 rocket carried satellites numbered 11, 12, and 13 in to orbit. The mission came about a month-and-a-half after SpaceX launched the BlueBird 8-10 mission.
Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40 happened at 3:49 a.m. EDT (0749 UTC). The rocket flew on a northeasterly trajectory upon leaving the pad.
SpaceX launched the mission using the Falcon 9 first stage booster with the tail number B1077. It became the fifth Falcon booster to achieve at least 30 flights, with four out of those five boosters are still in operation.
More than 8.5 minutes after liftoff, B1077 landed on the droneship, A Shortfall of Gravitas, positioned in the Atlantic Ocean. This was the 162nd landing on this vessel and the 645th Falcon booster landing to date.
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 is able to launch three satellites at most with its Falcon 9 rocket with the eight-satellite configuration reserved for Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket, which has a seven-meter diameter payload fairing. However, the latter rocket is grounded for an undetermined amount of time following the May 28 pad explosion.
SpaceX launched the latest trio of AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in the predawn hours of Wednesday morning.
The Falcon 9 rocket carried satellites numbered 11, 12, and 13 in to orbit. The mission came about a month-and-a-half after SpaceX launched the BlueBird 8-10 mission.
Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40 happened at 3:49 a.m. EDT (0749 UTC). The rocket flew on a northeasterly trajectory upon leaving the pad.
SpaceX launched the mission using the Falcon 9 first stage booster with the tail number B1077. It became the fifth Falcon booster to achieve at least 30 flights, with four out of those five boosters are still in operation.
More than 8.5 minutes after liftoff, B1077 landed on the droneship, A Shortfall of Gravitas, positioned in the Atlantic Ocean. This was the 162nd landing on this vessel and the 645th Falcon booster landing to date.
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 is able to launch three satellites at most with its Falcon 9 rocket with the eight-satellite configuration reserved for Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket, which has a seven-meter diameter payload fairing. However, the latter rocket is grounded for an undetermined amount of time following the May 28 pad explosion.
© Dennis Huff
