AST SpaceMobile to build its own Blacklift rocket with $1.3B Firefly engine deal

AST SpaceMobile (Nasdaq: ASTS) said on November 6, 2026 that it will build its own reusable 20-ton rocket, Blacklift, to deploy its BlueBird direct-to-smartphone satellites in low Earth orbit, powered by Miranda and Vira engines from Firefly Aerospace (Nasdaq: FLY) under an agreement Firefly values at more than $1.3 billion (confirmed, AST SpaceMobile and Firefly press releases). Blacklift is designed to carry up to five BlueBird satellites per launch, starting in late 2028 (confirmed, AST SpaceMobile).

What happened

• The rocket: Blacklift will be custom-built by AST SpaceMobile and designed for reusability. AST will produce the engine technology at a new U.S. engine manufacturing facility (confirmed, AST SpaceMobile). Until Blacklift flies, AST will keep relying on external launch providers (reported, Payload).
• The engines: Firefly will deliver 27 Miranda engines and nine vacuum-variant Vira engines (36 in total) for AST's first three rockets, provide engineering support for three years, and license the engine IP so AST can manufacture them. Firefly keeps ownership of its engine IP and says the deal is non-competitive by design (confirmed, Firefly). Spaceflight Now infers a layout of nine Miranda engines on each first stage and three Vira engines per upper stage (reported, Spaceflight Now).
• The money: AST will pay about $800 million upfront for the perpetual licence, made up of $400 million in cash and 10 to 14 million Class A shares set by a forward VWAP calculation, plus $250 million for engines for the first three launches and $250 million over three years for engineering services (confirmed, AST SpaceMobile). The shares are subject to lock-up periods (confirmed, Firefly).
• Engine heritage: Miranda, a 230,000 lbf-thrust engine, has completed more than 175 hot-fire tests totalling over 4,200 seconds, including a flight-like test at 110% performance (confirmed, Firefly). Neither Miranda nor Vira has yet flown to orbit; Firefly's Eclipse rocket with Northrop Grumman, which uses seven Miranda engines and one Vira, currently targets a 2027 debut (reported, Spaceflight Now).
• What's next: AST reports third-quarter results on Monday, November 9 at 5 p.m. EST (23:00 CET) and plans an unveiling event in New York on Thursday, November 12; Firefly reports on Tuesday, November 10 at 5 p.m. EST (reported, Spaceflight Now).

Why it matters for space investors

Owning its launch vehicle would give AST SpaceMobile control of its own deployment cadence, the same vertical-integration advantage Starlink enjoys through Falcon 9 and Starship. CEO Abel Avellan called Blacklift "the springboard to significantly expand our total addressable market." The risks are just as clear: AST has not released vehicle dimensions or a launch site, and Payload notes that a late-2028 first flight is an "incredibly aggressive" timeline for a brand-new rocket. The equity component also means dilution of roughly 10 to 14 million new ASTS shares.

For Firefly, the deal brings cash and AST stock to expand hiring, buy long-lead materials and add test bays in Briggs, Texas (confirmed, Firefly). Follow both stocks on our ASTS and FLY pages, check the earnings dates on the calendar, and see our earlier coverage of AST's spectrum and European carrier deals and the launch crunch around ULA's Vulcan return.

Not financial advice.

Sources

• AST SpaceMobile (Business Wire): AST SpaceMobile to Build Own 20-Ton Rocket to Deploy BlueBird Satellites Using Miranda Engines from Firefly Aerospace
• Firefly Aerospace IR: Firefly Aerospace Signs Rocket Engine Deal Valued at More Than $1.3 Billion with AST SpaceMobile
• Spaceflight Now: AST SpaceMobile unveils $1.3 billion engine deal with Firefly Aerospace to power new heavy-lift rocket
• Payload: AST SpaceMobile To Build New Blacklift Rocket