New York, Jan 29, 2026, 12:19 EST — Regular session
- AST SpaceMobile shares dropped roughly 4.5% by midday, following a volatile start to trading.
- A law firm notice stirred up new uncertainty around a stock already rattled by launch timing and funding concerns.
- Investors are eyeing the late-February launch schedule and early-March results for the upcoming hard update.
AST SpaceMobile shares dropped 4.5% to $115.73 by 12:19 p.m. EST on Thursday, after hitting a session high of $123.52 and a low of $113.40. The stock had closed at $121.23 the day before.
This move is significant given that AST SpaceMobile is among the busiest “direct-to-device” plays on the market — backing the idea that satellites can connect straight to regular phones, no special handsets or ground dishes needed.
Everything hinges on pace. Investors need evidence the company can deploy satellites quickly enough to transform patchy coverage into a reliable product carriers will market.
Thursday saw a pullback across markets, led by the Nasdaq dropping roughly 2%, while the S&P 500 fell close to 1%. 1
Pomerantz LLP announced it is looking into claims for AST SpaceMobile investors and is urging those investors to reach out to the firm. 2
Analyst opinions have swung lately. On Jan. 7, Scotiabank cut AST SpaceMobile to “sector underperform” and slapped on a $45.60 price target, according to MarketBeat. 3
Tim Farrar of TMF Associates dismissed the timeline, saying, “That’s not happening,” while Sumaiya Najarali of Novaspace described the target as “ambitious.” 4
AST remains on track. The company confirmed BlueBird 7 is set to launch late February aboard Blue Origin’s New Glenn-3. New Glenn’s larger fairing can carry as many as eight Block 2 satellites per flight. “This launch advances our mission,” said President Scott Wisniewski. 5
Competition is heating up. Vodafone and AST announced plans for a Europe-focused satellite constellation aimed at direct satellite-to-smartphone service. Reuters reported that Starlink has secured a direct-to-cell deal with telecom giant Veon and snapped up additional U.S. spectrum from EchoStar. AST runs six satellites, a tiny fraction compared to Starlink’s more than 8,000. Meanwhile, Novaspace estimates the satellite-to-phone market could top $10 billion by 2033. 6
The downside is straightforward: missed launch dates, regulatory hold-ups, or costly expansion that triggers dilution when the timing is worst. AST carries an “at-the-market” program, allowing it to sell shares gradually in the market, with a ceiling of $800 million, according to a prospectus supplement.
Next up, traders want any news on the BlueBird 7 launch window, plus the upcoming quarterly earnings. According to Public.com, AST’s next earnings call is set for March 2, with the report due March 3. 7
