Overview
- BlueBird 7 separated and powered on, but Blue Origin’s New Glenn placed it in a too-low orbit that cannot support operations.
- AST SpaceMobile said the satellite will be de-orbited and expects insurance to cover the hardware cost.
- The stock dropped about 14% in premarket trading after the launch failure.
- The company says it needs roughly 45 to 60 satellites for service and has six in orbit, with a goal of about 45 by the end of 2026.
- Investor nerves were already frayed by large insider sales, higher short interest, and lower price targets tied in part to Amazon’s deal for Globalstar.