AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASTS) is ending Tuesday, December 23, 2025, with traders laser-focused on one thing: BlueBird 6, the company’s first next-generation satellite, scheduled to launch late tonight. The stock finished the regular session modestly lower, then ticked higher in after-hours trading, a sign the market is positioning for a potentially headline-driven move before Wednesday’s open—on a session that will also be shortened for U.S. markets.
Below is what matters after the bell today, what’s driving the action, and what investors should keep on the radar ahead of the Dec. 24 opening print.
ASTS stock price after the bell: regular-session dip, after-hours bounce
ASTS closed at $85.66, down $0.82 (-0.95%) in the regular session. In after-hours trading, shares were up around 1%–2%, with prints/quotes around $86.80 to $87.08 early in the evening (times vary by data source). [1]
Tuesday’s intraday range captured the day’s tug-of-war between momentum buyers and profit-takers: roughly $81.98 on the low end and $87.75 on the high end. [2]
One key point heading into tomorrow: ASTS is prone to fast moves in extended hours, when liquidity is thinner and headlines (like launch updates) can swing sentiment quickly.
The main catalyst: BlueBird 6 launches tonight (10:24 p.m. ET)
AST SpaceMobile lists the BlueBird 6 launch for 10:24 p.m. ET on Dec. 23, 2025, and notes that timing can change due to launch readiness and weather. [3]
Space.com reports the mission is slated to lift off on an Indian LVM3 rocket from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, at 10:24 p.m. ET (03:34 GMT)—which is 8:54 a.m. India Standard Time on Dec. 24. That time-zone split is why some global coverage refers to it as a Christmas Eve launch. [4]
Why this launch matters to the stock
BlueBird 6 is more than a routine mission for ASTS bulls. It’s positioned as a scale-up proof point:
- Next-gen antenna size: nearly 2,400 square feet per satellite—far larger than the company’s earlier BlueBird satellites. [5]
- Direct-to-smartphone thesis: AST’s stated goal remains high-speed cellular broadband direct to everyday smartphones, without special hardware. [6]
- “Record-breaking” payload: Space.com notes BlueBird 6 weighs about 13,450 pounds (6,100 kg) and cites ISRO describing it as the heaviest payload the LVM3 has carried to low Earth orbit. [7]
The market’s logic is straightforward: a clean launch and deployment narrative supports AST’s execution story; a delay or anomaly can trigger sharp risk-off selling—especially after a year of big gains and heavy retail interest.
What investors “need to know” today: the momentum setup and key price levels
A widely circulated trading note from Benzinga highlighted that ASTS shares were “bouncing around” Tuesday after Monday’s surge and framed the launch as the immediate catalyst. It also called out practical near-term levels:
- Support: around $81.98 (recent low)
- Resistance: around $87.75 (session high) [8]
With ASTS trading near that resistance zone in after-hours, the next move may hinge on whether the market gets decisive, confidence-boosting updates around the launch and early mission milestones.
A second headline risk factor from today: a major holder cut its ASTS position sharply
Not all of today’s analysis was purely bullish momentum.
An Investing.com analysis (attributed to MarketBeat, published Dec. 23, 2025) highlighted significant selling tied to American Tower (AMT)—described as a “majority shareholder” of ASTS in that piece—and said AMT sold roughly 2.29 million Class A shares, reducing its effective ASTS position by about 49%. The article characterized the sales as not under a predetermined plan, which can amplify the bearish interpretation versus routine 10b5-1 selling. [9]
For tomorrow’s open, this matters because large-holder selling narratives can resurface quickly if the stock weakens—particularly in a holiday-thinned tape.
The policy backdrop traders are citing: “Ensuring American Space Superiority” and “ubiquitous satellite-enabled communications”
Another theme appearing in today’s trading chatter is Washington policy—specifically President Donald Trump’s “Ensuring American Space Superiority” executive order, which was published in the Federal Register on Dec. 23, 2025. [10]
A White House fact sheet dated Dec. 18, 2025 includes language supporting “ubiquitous satellite-enabled communications for global broadband internet access,” which some market participants interpret as a favorable policy tone for satellite communications and hybrid commercial-government space infrastructure. [11]
Breaking Defense’s coverage also flags the order’s emphasis on integrating commercial space capabilities and a push to “assert spectrum leadership,” a crucial topic for any direct-to-device satellite strategy that depends on spectrum access and regulatory clarity. [12]
Important nuance: policy tailwinds rarely move a stock on their own overnight—but they can strengthen the narrative when the market is already focused on a “big moment” catalyst like a flagship satellite launch.
Wall Street forecast check: price targets vs. a stock that’s already run hard
Consensus snapshots look mixed largely because ASTS has rallied so aggressively that some targets lag the tape.
Investing.com’s consensus view shows:
- Overall consensus: Buy (with a mix of Buy/Hold/Sell ratings)
- Average 12-month price target: about $71.51 (listed as a downside from today’s price)
- Target range shown: roughly $43 (low) to $95 (high), with several named firms and dated actions shown in the table. [13]
When a stock trades well above an average published target, it often means one of two things: analysts will update targets later (if fundamentals/visibility improve), or the market is pricing in a best-case path that’s vulnerable if execution stumbles.
What to know before the market opens tomorrow (Dec. 24): schedule, liquidity, and the “headline window”
1) Tomorrow is a shortened U.S. trading day
Nasdaq’s holiday schedule shows Dec. 24 is an “Early Close” at 1:00 p.m. ET (with Christmas Day closed). [14]
That matters because holiday sessions can exaggerate price moves—there are fewer participants, wider spreads in volatile names, and headlines can have outsized impact.
2) Extended-hours volatility is part of the setup
Nasdaq also reiterates the structure of extended trading sessions: pre-market 4:00 a.m.–9:30 a.m. ET, and after-hours 4:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m. ET (brokers vary). [15]
With BlueBird 6 launching late tonight, ASTS investors should be prepared for price discovery to occur outside regular hours, potentially before many market participants are fully active.
3) The key “tomorrow morning” checklist for ASTS watchers
Here’s what typically matters most in a catalyst-driven, high-momentum stock like ASTS:
- Launch status + mission updates (on-time, delayed, scrubbed, or successful) and any early confirmation milestones. [16]
- Pre-market volume and spreads: thin volume can create misleading price signals. [17]
- Whether ASTS can reclaim/hold the ~$87–$88 area (near the prior session high zone flagged as resistance). [18]
- Whether the “American Tower stake reduction” narrative resurfaces in morning notes and social feeds—especially if the stock is weak. [19]
- Any fresh analyst commentary or target changes (a common follow-on if a major technical or operational milestone hits). [20]
Bottom line for AST SpaceMobile stock tonight
ASTS is set up for a catalyst-driven trade: the stock ended the regular session slightly lower, moved higher after hours, and now sits in the shadow of a high-profile mission with real narrative impact. [21]
For investors heading into Dec. 24, the most practical framing is this: expect volatility, watch official mission updates closely, and remember tomorrow’s early close can amplify moves—in either direction. [22]
This article is for informational purposes only and is not investment advice.
References
1. www.investing.com, 2. www.investing.com, 3. ast-science.com, 4. www.space.com, 5. ast-science.com, 6. ast-science.com, 7. www.space.com, 8. www.benzinga.com, 9. www.investing.com, 10. www.federalregister.gov, 11. www.whitehouse.gov, 12. breakingdefense.com, 13. www.investing.com, 14. www.nasdaq.com, 15. www.nasdaq.com, 16. ast-science.com, 17. www.nasdaq.com, 18. www.benzinga.com, 19. www.investing.com, 20. www.investing.com, 21. www.investing.com, 22. www.nasdaq.com
