AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) Jumps as BlueBird 6 Launch Date Set and Special Meeting Begins

AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASTS) is back in the spotlight today after announcing a firm launch date for its next‑generation BlueBird 6 satellite and convening a special shareholder meeting that could shape how the fast‑growing space‑to‑smartphone company pays its people and issues new stock.

The news comes just one day after a sharp pullback in ASTS shares and caps off a pivotal two‑week stretch that included Q3 2025 earnings, new carrier deals and fresh analyst commentary on the company’s sky‑high valuation. ^[1]

At a glance: what’s happening with AST SpaceMobile today

BlueBird 6 launch date set: AST SpaceMobile has scheduled the launch of its first next‑generation satellite, BlueBird 6, for December 15, 2025 from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in India. ^[2]
Record‑breaking hardware: BlueBird 6 will carry what the company calls the largest commercial phased‑array communications antenna ever deployed in low Earth orbit, roughly 2,400 square feet—about 3.5× larger than the BlueBird 1–5 satellites and designed for 10× more data capacity. ^[3]
Stock reaction: After sliding about 12.6% on Thursday to close near $50.70, ASTS traded higher this morning following the launch news, at one point up around 5% in pre‑market trading and recently hovering near $51 in regular hours. TechStock²+1
Special meeting underway: Shareholders are voting in a virtual special meeting at 10:00 a.m. ET on an amended and restated 2024 Incentive Award Plan that would add up to 10 million new shares to the equity compensation pool and extend the plan to 2035. ^[4]

Below is a deeper look at what all of this means for AST SpaceMobile’s technology, business roadmap and ASTS stock.

BlueBird 6: AST SpaceMobile’s largest and most powerful satellite yet

In a press release this morning, AST SpaceMobile confirmed that BlueBird 6 is scheduled to launch on December 15 from India’s Satish Dhawan Space Center. The satellite is U.S.‑licensed and was built at the company’s headquarters in Midland, Texas. ^[5]

Key design details:

Array size: About 2,400 square feet of phased‑array antenna surface in low Earth orbit (LEO), eclipsing both the company’s earlier BlueBird 1–5 spacecraft and rival commercial platforms. ^[6]
Capacity: The new design is targeted to deliver roughly 10× the data capacity of the first‑generation BlueBirds already in orbit, enabling higher‑throughput 4G/5G connections directly to unmodified smartphones. ^[7]
Constellation role: BlueBird 6 is the first “Block 2” / next‑generation satellite in a broader deployment that aims to field 45–60 satellites by the end of 2026, enough for continuous coverage across the continental U.S. and selected international markets. ^[8]

The company says BlueBird 6 will kick off a multi‑provider launch campaign with roughly five orbital launches planned by the end of Q1 2026, spacing liftoffs roughly every one to two months. To support that ramp, AST SpaceMobile points to nearly 500,000 square feet of manufacturing and operations facilities worldwide (about 400,000 square feet in the U.S.) and a global workforce of around 1,800 employees, mostly U.S.‑based. ^[9]

Management is pitching BlueBird 6 as the hardware inflection point that takes the company from proof‑of‑concept (BlueWalker 3 and BlueBird 1–5) to high‑capacity commercial service—a prerequisite for monetizing multibillion‑dollar agreements with mobile carriers.

Special shareholder meeting: what’s on the ballot and why it matters

Running alongside the BlueBird 6 headlines is a special meeting of shareholders taking place today via live webcast at 10:00 a.m. ET. ^[10]

According to the company’s DEF 14A proxy filing with the U.S. SEC, the main item on the agenda is approval of an Amended and Restated AST SpaceMobile, Inc. 2024 Incentive Award Plan. ^[11]

Key features of the proposal include:

More equity for compensation: The refreshed plan would reserve an additional 10 million shares of Class A common stock for future stock‑based awards, on top of the remaining shares under existing plans.
Extended lifespan: If approved, the plan would run until October 6, 2035, replacing the prior 2034 expiration and incorporating an “evergreen” feature that allows the share pool to grow modestly each year at the Board’s discretion.
Total capacity: Between the new authorization and the migration of unused shares from older plans, the aggregate share pool available for awards would rise to roughly 15.4 million shares. ^[12]
Who it covers: All employees, non‑employee directors and eligible consultants can participate. As of the record date, the company reported 408 employees, 5 non‑employee directors and 21 consultants holding awards under its 2024 plan. ^[13]

From a corporate‑governance perspective, the proposal underscores two realities:

Talent retention is critical. AST SpaceMobile is competing for satellite engineers, RF specialists and telecom veterans in a hot labor market. Management argues that a replenished equity pool is essential to attract and keep key people over the next decade. ^[14]
Dilution is part of the story. Issuing up to 10 million additional shares for compensation over time will dilute existing shareholders. For a company already reliant on equity and convertible debt to fund an expensive satellite constellation, investors will be watching the pace of future grants closely.

The special meeting essentially asks investors to sign off on that trade‑off: more flexibility to incentivize staff in exchange for a larger long‑term share count.

ASTS stock today: a rebound after Thursday’s sell‑off

AST SpaceMobile’s share price has been on a rollercoaster in November:

On Thursday, November 20, ASTS closed around $50.70, down roughly 12.6% on the day after a strong year‑to‑date run that left the stock up more than 150% in 2025 according to multiple market data sources. TechStock²+1
This morning, Reuters reported the stock up about 5.2% in pre‑market trading to roughly $53.40 after the BlueBird 6 launch announcement. ^[15]
Around early afternoon U.S. time, real‑time data showed ASTS trading near $51.14, modestly higher on the day with an intraday range between about $48 and $55.

Analyst sentiment remains mixed but generally constructive. According to data compiled by LSEG and cited in the Reuters note, five of eleven brokerages rate ASTS a “buy,” four are at “hold” and two at “sell,” with a median 12‑month price target near $80—implying substantial upside if management executes. ^[16]

At the same time, coverage from outlets like The Motley Fool and TS2 has highlighted how volatile the stock has become:

Implied volatility on ASTS options remains elevated, reflecting expectations for large price swings. TechStock²
Recent 13F filings show rising institutional ownership, but there has also been some modest insider selling as executives trim positions after the rally. TechStock²

For short‑term traders, today’s move looks like a classic “bounce on good news” after a big sell‑off. For long‑term investors, the bigger question is whether the BlueBird 6 launch and ongoing contract wins justify ASTS’s premium valuation.

Q3 2025: rapid revenue growth, but losses remain steep

Behind the stock action is a business that’s finally putting up meaningful revenue—but still burning cash.

In a November 10 business update, AST SpaceMobile reported: ^[17]

Q3 2025 revenue of about $14.7 million, up more than 12× year‑on‑year, driven largely by U.S. government contract milestones and gateway equipment deliveries.
Total operating expenses of roughly $94 million in the quarter, including depreciation and stock‑based compensation, resulting in a sizable operating loss.
Adjusted operating expenses near $67.7 million, still significantly higher than in Q2 as engineering and gateway costs ramped.
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash of about $1.2 billion as of September 30, 2025, plus additional liquidity via an at‑the‑market equity program and a newly issued convertible note.

AST SpaceMobile also emphasized that it now has more than $1 billion in contracted revenue commitments from partners, reflecting long‑term minimum payments embedded in agreements with major carriers and government customers. ^[18]

To bolster its balance sheet for the upcoming launch campaign, the company:

Raised roughly $1.15 billion in 2.0% convertible senior notes due 2036, with an initial conversion price around $96.30 per share.
Used part of the proceeds to reduce outstanding 4.25% notes to $50 million and monetize related hedging instruments, improving near‑term cash flow. ^[19]

Taken together, AST SpaceMobile now has multi‑billion‑dollar liquidity but also higher leverage, and it remains firmly in the investment phase: building satellites and ground infrastructure ahead of large‑scale service revenue.

Carrier partnerships: AT&T, Verizon, Vodafone, stc and FirstNet

A core pillar of the bullish ASTS thesis is the company’s growing web of carrier relationships across North America, Europe, the Middle East and beyond.

Some of the most important deals:

AT&T (United States):
- A definitive commercial agreement signed in May 2024 covers satellite‑to‑phone service using AT&T spectrum.
- In February 2025, AT&T and AST SpaceMobile completed a video call over AT&T’s network using BlueBird satellites, building on earlier tests with the BlueWalker 3 prototype. ^[20]
- AT&T and FirstNet planners are preparing satellite‑direct‑to‑device trials for first responders, backed by recent FCC approvals. ^[21]
Verizon (United States):
- In Q3 2025, AST SpaceMobile signed a definitive commercial agreement with Verizon, deepening an earlier strategic partnership and positioning the pair to target near‑100% geographical coverage across the continental U.S. using combined terrestrial and satellite assets. ^[22]
Vodafone & SatCo (European Union):
- On November 6, 2025, Vodafone and AST SpaceMobile announced plans for a new EU‑focused satellite constellation operated through their Luxembourg‑based joint venture, SatCo.
- Germany has been selected for the main Satellite Operations Centre, with sites near Munich or Hannover under consideration.
- The constellation is designed with a “command switch” that allows European authorities to control encryption keys and beam activation, addressing sovereignty and security concerns.
- Mobile operators in 21 EU member states and other European countries have expressed interest, with commercial launch targeted for 2026. ^[23]
stc group (Saudi Arabia & MENA):
- In late October, AST SpaceMobile and stc signed a 10‑year commercial agreement to provide direct‑to‑device satellite connectivity across Saudi Arabia and selected markets in the Middle East and Africa.
- stc committed to a $175 million prepayment for future services and a broader long‑term revenue commitment.
- AST will build three ground gateways and establish a Network Operations Center in Riyadh to support operations.
- Initial commercial services are expected in Q4 2026, subject to regulatory approvals. ^[24]

These partnerships underpin AST SpaceMobile’s claim that it has agreements or understandings with more than 50 mobile network operators representing nearly 3 billion subscribers globally, giving it a potentially massive addressable customer base once service is live. ^[25]

Roadmap to service: intermittent in early 2026, continuous later that year

The big question for both carriers and investors is when AST SpaceMobile’s service will be available at meaningful scale.

Based on company guidance and recent industry coverage:

AST expects to activate intermittent nationwide coverage across the continental United States in early 2026, using its first waves of BlueBird satellites.
Continuous service in the U.S. and initial coverage in markets like Canada, Japan, Saudi Arabia and the U.K. are planned for later in 2026, as more satellites launch. ^[26]
The company aims to have 45–60 next‑generation satellites in orbit by year‑end 2026, leveraging up to 40 spacecraft equivalents already in various stages of production. ^[27]

AST SpaceMobile’s technology is designed to connect directly to standard, unmodified 4G and 5G smartphones, without requiring special satellite phones or hardware. In principle, that could allow users in remote or disaster‑stricken areas to place calls or access broadband using the same handset and SIM they already have. ^[28]

If this rollout stays on track, 2026 could mark the moment AST moves from being mainly a development‑stage story to a company with live, paying satellite‑to‑phone traffic in multiple regions.

Key risks: regulation, competition, execution and dilution

For all the excitement around BlueBird 6 and ASTS’s rally this year, the path ahead is far from risk‑free.

1. Regulatory hurdles

AST SpaceMobile’s next‑gen satellites currently operate under an experimental FCC license, which explicitly bars commercial operations until further approvals are granted. ^[29]
The company must navigate spectrum coordination with regulators and incumbent satellite providers globally, including concerns raised by rivals such as SpaceX over orbital‑debris mitigation and interference. ^[30]

2. Competitive landscape

SpaceX’s Starlink, working with T‑Mobile US and other partners, is pursuing its own direct‑to‑device ambitions, while other players experiment with narrowband satellite messaging to phones. ^[31]
AST SpaceMobile’s promise of broadband‑class speeds to normal phones is differentiated, but the company must prove it can deliver that performance reliably and at scale.

3. Execution risk

Building, launching and operating dozens of record‑size satellites on a tight schedule is a complex engineering and logistical challenge. Delays from launch providers, supply chains or in‑orbit anomalies could push back revenue. ^[32]
The company is also integrating its network with numerous carriers’ cores and roaming systems—no small feat across multiple countries and regulatory regimes.

4. Financial and dilution risk

Despite a strong liquidity position, AST SpaceMobile is still deeply unprofitable and expects to spend heavily on capex and operations for years. ^[33]
Ongoing reliance on convertible debt, equity sales and stock‑based compensation—including the new incentive plan being voted on today—means existing shareholders should expect continued dilution if the rollout requires more capital than anticipated. ^[34]

Investors considering ASTS need to weigh these risks against the upside of a potentially transformative, first‑mover network.

What to watch next for AST SpaceMobile (ASTS)

Heading into the rest of 2025 and early 2026, a few milestones stand out:

Outcome of today’s special meeting
- Did shareholders approve the amended incentive plan?
- How does the company communicate around dilution and compensation going forward?
BlueBird 6 launch and early performance
- Confirmation that the December 15 launch goes ahead on schedule.
- Successful deployment and commissioning of the 2,400 sq ft array in orbit.
Progress on follow‑on satellites and launches
- Shipment and launch of BlueBird 7 and beyond, and evidence that the one‑to‑two‑month launch cadence is achievable. ^[35]
Carrier service demos and early commercial traffic
- Real‑world demos with AT&T, Verizon, Vodafone, stc and FirstNet users, especially if they show usable speeds and indoor coverage on standard phones. ^[36]
Regulatory updates and spectrum decisions
- Any new FCC, ITU or national‑regulator rulings that expand—or constrain—the company’s ability to offer service.

Note: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Always do your own research or consult a licensed financial advisor before making investment decisions.

AST SpaceMobile $ASTS BlueBird 6 is ready to ship in August 2025