AST SpaceMobile Inc. (ASTS) shares climbed approximately 1.7% on Friday afternoon after the company provided a fresh update on its BlueBird satellite program.
The stock initially jumped around 4% in early Friday trading before pulling back from those highs as the session progressed.
AST SpaceMobile confirmed that BlueBird satellites 11, 12 and 13 are “stacked and getting ready” for orbital launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
The company said BlueBirds 14, 15 and 16 are set to “follow right after” the initial launch, signaling a rapid cadence of satellite deployments in the weeks ahead.
AST SpaceMobile also said “production is advancing through BlueBird 42,” pointing to meaningful progress across its expanding satellite manufacturing pipeline.
Earlier in the week, the company confirmed the three satellites would launch aboard a SpaceX (SPCX) Falcon 9 rocket, with liftoff targeted for 3:42 a.m. EDT on August 5 and a backup window at 5:10 a.m.
Retail sentiment on Stocktwits improved to “neutral” from “bearish” within the prior 24 hours, though message volume remained “low” at the time of reporting.
One trader said the company is “moving from launches to production,” noting that production advancing through BlueBird 42 suggests manufacturing momentum is building and that “execution is becoming the story.”
Another trader expressed frustration with continued selling pressure despite trading volume, but said next week could bring several catalysts including the launch, sector flows and earnings speculation, adding, “Now I want to see execution match the story.”
A third trader speculated that AST SpaceMobile may already have a launch timeline for the next batch of BlueBird satellites but could be saving the announcement for its quarterly report.
Another Stocktwits user pointed to several upcoming catalysts, including a formal J-LEO announcement, the BlueBird 11-13 launch, more than $3 billion in cash, SPCX August 4 earnings, ASTS’s August 10 earnings report and potential telecom partnership announcements.
Despite Friday’s gains, ASTS stock remains down nearly 17% year-to-date, leaving investors focused on whether the company’s improving execution can translate into a sustained recovery.
