New York, Feb 3, 2026, 15:05 EST — Regular session
- AST SpaceMobile shares jumped roughly 7% in afternoon trading, bouncing back from a decline the day before
- Shares in space-related companies jumped following Elon Musk’s announcement of a merger between SpaceX and xAI
- Investors are eyeing a satellite launch scheduled for late February as the next crucial test
AST SpaceMobile shares climbed 6.8% to $111.61 in Tuesday afternoon trading, following a $104.55 close the previous day. The stock fluctuated between $105.82 and $116.60, with roughly 11.6 million shares traded.
The broader space sector jumped after Elon Musk revealed SpaceX had merged with xAI, valuing the new entity at $1.25 trillion. Seraphim Space CEO Mark Boggett described it as “the strongest validation” that space will drive the next AI surge. AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould added the deal might “whet the appetite” ahead of a potential blockbuster IPO. Reuters
Why this matters now: listed space stocks act as liquid proxies for a rapidly evolving narrative blending defense budgets, satellite networks, and investor excitement about AI. AST SpaceMobile, a high-volume player in this group, often sees sharp moves whenever sentiment changes.
AST SpaceMobile is developing a satellite cellular network aimed at linking regular, unmodified phones beyond the reach of ground-based towers. Their setup uses satellites positioned in low-Earth orbit, which sits fairly close to the planet, reducing signal lag compared to satellites in higher orbits. Reuters
Other names also saw gains. Planet Labs climbed 2.6%, Intuitive Machines jumped 3.9%, and Redwire inched up 1.5%.
AST SpaceMobile’s next big event is the BlueBird 7 launch planned for late February, set to ride on Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. “This launch advances our mission,” said president Scott Wisniewski, as the company aims for commercial service by 2026. He did caution the exact timing could shift depending on launch readiness and weather conditions. Stock Titan
The trade carries clear risks. With manufacturing scale-up and a packed launch schedule, the company can’t afford slip-ups. Any delays, regulatory issues, or funding gaps could swiftly sour sentiment, especially in a sector where news outpaces fundamentals.
Traders will probably watch for ripple effects from the SpaceX-xAI deal and how it impacts publicly traded space companies. For AST SpaceMobile, the key date is the late-February launch window, a tangible milestone in a year where “later” hasn’t done space schedules any favors.
