BlueBird 14 is complete, while satellites 15 and 16 are nearing completion.
- BlueBirds 12 and 13 have fully deployed their 2,400-square-foot communications arrays.
- The next-gen satellites target speeds near 200 Mbps and support AI and radar applications.
- Production extends through BlueBird 48, with 45 satellites targeted in orbit by early 2027.
Shares of AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) snapped a three-session losing streak on Thursday after the company reported the full deployment of BlueBird satellites 12 and 13 and the opening of a new satellite gateway in New Zealand.
ASTS stock jumped 3% on Thursday but remained down 11% for the week, putting it on track for its worst weekly performance in more than a month.
AST SpaceMobile Expands BlueBird Capabilities
Each BlueBird carries a 2,400-square-foot communications array to deliver voice, broadband data and text directly to standard smartphones without specialized equipment.
The satellites were among BlueBirds 11, 12 and 13 launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral on Aug.5. The next-gen spacecraft are more than three times the size of AST SpaceMobile’s five initial Block 1 satellites and are expected to deliver peak data rates approaching 200 Mbps, nearly double the 98.9 Mbps previously achieved.
AST SpaceMobile said the platform could ultimately serve applications well beyond mobile connectivity, including AI computing and advanced government capabilities such as space-based radar. “A growing constellation. An expanding range of applications,” the company said on X, saying its target market spans commercial and government communications infrastructure worldwide.
ASTS Ramps Satellite Manufacturing
The company also reported progress on its next spacecraft. Production of BlueBird 14 is complete, while BlueBirds 15 and 16 are nearing completion and are expected to support its next launch.
Production is now advancing through BlueBird 48. The company said the satellites would enable continuous coverage across key markets and is targeting 45 BlueBirds in orbit by early 2027. AST SpaceMobile is working toward a manufacturing cadence of six fully assembled satellites per month. Its Texas-built constellation is expected eventually to exceed 100 satellites, enabling worldwide SpaceMobile service and deployment of its controlled spectrum.
AST SpaceMobile Opens New Zealand Gateway
On the ground, AST SpaceMobile partner 2degrees officially opened the Marton Satellite Ground Station in New Zealand. The gateway connects AST SpaceMobile’s satellite system with 2degrees’ core infrastructure, advancing integration for direct-to-device voice, broadband and text services.
The facility joins nearly 50 gateways in various stages of completion, installation and planning. AST SpaceMobile delivered 13 gateways for seven customers across five continents during the second quarter. The company has agreements with more than 60 mobile network operators representing over 3 billion subscribers. Its partners include AT&T, Verizon, Vodafone, Rakuten, Bell, Telus and stc Group.
How Do Retail Traders Feel About ASTS?
On Stocktwits, retail sentiment for ASTS has been ‘bearish’ over the past month amid a 28% decline in 24-hour message volumes.
One user said, “the lack of complete satellites, is a why bother from abel…as in, why bother completing a satellite, knowing full well there is no launch scheduled/coming up in the near future.”
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Another user questioned, “$ASTS what are the odds, there is no launch by next earnings call?”
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ASTS stock has risen 27% over the past year.
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