AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) shares slipped more than 1% overnight on Monday despite the company announcing that its BlueBird 11 satellite is en route to Cape Canaveral for an August launch.
The overnight dip followed a 5% drop during Monday’s regular session, as ASTS joined a broader pullback across space stocks after the sector gave back part of last week’s sharp gains.
AST SpaceMobile announced on X that BlueBird 11 is “on its way from Midland to Cape Canaveral” ahead of its orbital launch, describing the update as “Execution in Motion.”
The company added that BlueBirds 12 and 13 will follow soon, while production continues through BlueBird 38 at its Texas facilities.
AST SpaceMobile previously confirmed that BlueBirds 11, 12 and 13 are targeted for launch from Cape Canaveral in the first half of August, expanding its direct-to-device satellite network.
The upcoming mission follows the June 17 launch of BlueBirds 8, 9 and 10, which lifted off aboard a Falcon 9 rocket and are now described by the company as “in orbit and operational.”
BlueBirds 11, 12 and 13 are expected to feature commercial communications arrays measuring approximately 2,400 square feet, consistent with the scale of satellites already operating in orbit.
The next batch of satellites is expected to deliver nearly double the peak data speeds of the initial Block 1 BlueBird satellites, which recently achieved peak download speeds of 98.9 Mbps directly to standard smartphones.
Investors are closely watching whether AST SpaceMobile can maintain its manufacturing pace and achieve its goal of 45 satellites in orbit by the end of the year.
The company holds agreements with nearly 60 mobile network operators globally, representing more than 3 billion subscribers combined, with partners including AT&T, Verizon, Vodafone, Rakuten, Google, Bell, Telus, stc Group and American Tower.
AST SpaceMobile operates more than 500,000 square feet of manufacturing and operations facilities worldwide, supported by over 2,250 employees and a technology platform backed by more than 3,900 patents and patent-pending claims.
On Stocktwits, retail sentiment for ASTS flipped to “bearish” from “bullish” levels seen a day earlier, with 24-hour message volumes jumping 214%.
One Stocktwits user offered a longer-term perspective, writing, “Launch in 4-5 weeks – all that matters. In a 2 month span, they will have 6 next gen sats up, which is more in space than the previous 2-3 years total. Progress is being made. The real question is, can they get 3 more launches Sept – December.”
Another user expressed confidence in the stock’s trajectory, posting, “$ASTS Had to get more on that dip…430 more shares.”
Despite the recent volatility, ASTS shares have risen 77% over the past year, reflecting sustained investor interest in the company’s satellite broadband ambitions.
