NEW YORK, December 28, 2025, 19:17 ET — Market closed
- AST SpaceMobile shares last closed down 7.8% at $71.95.
- The company’s COO said the newly launched BlueBird 6 satellite will begin operations “in the coming weeks.”
- Investors are watching for on-orbit progress and details on the next launch cadence heading into Monday’s session.
AST SpaceMobile (ASTS.O) shares ended Friday down 7.8% at $71.95, as the space-to-smartphone stock extended sharp swings after the launch of its newest satellite.
The move matters because AST’s valuation has been driven by expectations it can turn years of testing into a scaled satellite network that connects standard smartphones. The next checkpoints — when the satellite begins operating and how quickly more spacecraft follow — are likely to set the tone for trading into year-end. [1]
The company added fresh detail over the weekend. Chief operating officer Shanti B. Gupta told India’s PTI news agency the BlueBird Block-2 satellite is expected to begin operating soon, and reiterated the company’s launch targets for 2026. [2]
In the most recent session, AST shares opened at $76.96 and traded down to $71.06, with about 19.6 million shares changing hands, according to market data.
“In the coming weeks, it will start operations,” Gupta told PTI, referring to BlueBird 6. [3]
Gupta said the company aims to launch 45–60 satellites by the end of 2026 and expects about five launches by the end of the first quarter of 2026, with launches planned roughly every two months. [4]
AST said earlier this week that BlueBird 6 lifted off at 10:25 p.m. EST on Dec. 23 from India’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre, calling it the largest commercial communications array deployed in low Earth orbit. [5]
The company said the satellite’s communications array spans nearly 2,400 square feet and is designed to deliver 4G and 5G broadband — the wireless standards used by today’s cellular networks — directly to standard, unmodified smartphones. It also said the satellite is designed to enable peak data rates of up to 120 Mbps. [6]
Low Earth orbit refers to satellites orbiting relatively close to Earth, which can help reduce delay in signals compared with higher orbits. That has helped fuel investor interest in so-called “direct-to-cell” services, where satellites connect to phones without special hardware.
AST said it has agreements with more than 50 mobile network operators globally and listed partnerships that include AT&T, Verizon and Vodafone. [7]
The stock has been volatile around the launch. AST shares hit an intraday high of $92.95 on Dec. 24 before closing that day down 8.9%, and have swung between roughly $61 and $93 since mid-December. [8]
Before the next session, investors will watch for any company updates on BlueBird 6’s on-orbit checkout and deployment — the early operational steps needed before it can start providing service — along with any clarity on the timing of the next launch.
Traders will also keep an eye on the next earnings window. AST has not confirmed a reporting date, but MarketBeat’s earnings calendar currently estimates the next results around March 2, 2026, based on prior-year timing. [9]
Technicians will be watching whether the stock holds the low-$70 area after Friday’s drop, with recent swing highs near the low-$90s still acting as the next upside reference point. Thin holiday liquidity into the year-end can amplify moves in high-momentum names.
References
1. www.theweek.in, 2. www.theweek.in, 3. www.theweek.in, 4. www.theweek.in, 5. www.businesswire.com, 6. www.businesswire.com, 7. www.businesswire.com, 8. stockanalysis.com, 9. www.marketbeat.com
