Texas-based satellite company AST SpaceMobile has announced plans to develop its own medium-lift rocket named Blacklift. The publicly traded firm, which builds very large satellites for direct-to-cell communications, aims to achieve commercial launches by late 2028 with a vehicle capable of carrying 20 metric tons to low-Earth orbit.
Addressing the Launch Crisis
According to Ars Technica, Abel Avellan, the founder, chairman, and CEO of AST SpaceMobile, stated in a news release that the Blacklift rocket serves as a springboard to expand their total addressable market while offering regular unconstrained access to orbit and favorable owner economics.
This ambitious timeline highlights two significant trends currently shaping the space launch industry. Satellite operators planning large constellations now find themselves forced to secure launch capacity years in advance, or resort to the extraordinary measure of building their own rockets when favorable terms are unavailable.
Growing Capital for New Entrants
As investors increasingly recognize the worsening launch crisis, capital has begun emerging for new participants entering the medium-lift market. AST SpaceMobile is not alone in making distant-future timeline claims; another enterprise, Cowboy Space, announced in October its intention to build a large rocket called Big Iron to launch orbital data centers, also targeting a 2028 debut flight.
