MIDLAND, Texas — Direct-to-device satellite operator AST SpaceMobile announced on Friday, Nov. 6, 2026, that it will develop and build its own reusable heavy-lift orbital rocket, named Blacklift, through a $1.3 billion propulsion and licensing agreement with Firefly Aerospace.
The strategic initiative establishes an in-house launch architecture engineered to deploy the company’s next-generation BlueBird cellular broadband satellites directly into low Earth orbit (LEO).
In-House Launch Rationale and Constellation Delivery Control
The decision to develop an internal launch capability addresses persistent capacity shortages across commercial heavy-lift vehicles. AST SpaceMobile has navigated launch bottlenecks across multiple commercial providers, including pivoting to SpaceX for BlueBird launches to maintain deployment momentum following orbital delays.
With Firefly Aerospace leadership highlighting systemic launch vehicle shortages across the aerospace sector, the Blacklift program provides AST SpaceMobile with dedicated launch manifest priority to orbit its massive direct-to-device spacecraft without competing for third-party commercial rocket slots.
Blacklift Vehicle Specifications and Firefly Propulsion Integration
Sized to transport up to 20 metric tons to LEO, Blacklift is dimensioned to loft five full-scale BlueBird satellites per mission:
- First-Stage Propulsion: The reusable booster stage is powered by Firefly’s Miranda engines, which were initially developed and hot-fire tested for medium-to-heavy launch configurations.
- Upper-Stage Propulsion: The second stage incorporates Firefly’s vacuum-optimized Vira engines for orbital insertion.
Under the $1.3 billion deal, Firefly will manufacture and deliver complete shipsets of Miranda and Vira engines for the first three Blacklift orbital flights. Firefly will also provide dedicated engineering support while granting AST SpaceMobile an intellectual property license to manufacture the rocket engines independently for subsequent operational vehicles.
Testing Schedule and Initial Flight Window
AST SpaceMobile targets the maiden orbital test flight of Blacklift as soon as late 2028. The company has not yet selected a primary orbital launch site for the vehicle, with spaceport selection and propulsion manufacturing facility buildouts expected to proceed alongside engine testing over the next two years.
