AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) is drawing renewed retail investor attention ahead of its next BlueBird satellite launch scheduled for Wednesday at Cape Canaveral.
Short interest in the stock has dropped to approximately 19.9% of the public float, falling below the 20% threshold for the first time since June.
According to Koyfin data, more than 59.3 million ASTS shares are currently held short, down from 21.7% recorded just one week ago.
Despite the recent easing of bearish bets, short interest remains substantially elevated compared to the 13% level recorded at the start of 2026.
The company currently has roughly 298.7 million outstanding shares, and ASTS stock was trading up more than 7% in pre-market activity on Tuesday.
ASTS has been among the most heavily shorted space stocks on the market, alongside Intuitive Machines (LUNR) and Virgin Galactic (SPCE).
Retail sentiment on Stocktwits shifted to “neutral” from “bearish” a day earlier, with one user expecting the stock to surge to $130 or higher over the “next 10-15 trading days.”
That projected price target would represent a near 100% increase from current trading levels, signaling growing optimism among retail participants.
AST SpaceMobile is set to launch its BlueBird 11, 12, and 13 satellites aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Wednesday.
The mission follows the successful deployment of BlueBirds 8, 9, and 10 in June, and the company has already begun preparing BlueBirds 14, 15, and 16 for a future launch.
Production has progressed through satellite 42, reflecting the company’s accelerating manufacturing pace and long-term expansion ambitions.
The latest satellites incorporate AST SpaceMobile’s next-generation stackable design and lightweight carbon-composite structures, enabling more units per single launch mission.
These satellites are designed to deliver voice, data, and video services directly to standard smartphones without requiring any additional hardware on the user’s end.
AST SpaceMobile holds agreements with nearly 60 mobile network operators serving more than 3 billion subscribers, including AT&T, Verizon, Vodafone, Rakuten, Google, Bell, Telus, STC Group, and American Tower.
Analysts remain optimistic that the company could begin beta direct-to-device mobile broadband service in the U.S. with AT&T and Verizon before the end of 2026.
AT&T CEO John Stankey recently stated that the partnership is moving closer to a customer-ready service, adding credibility to near-term commercial timelines.
Brokerages including Scotiabank and Clear Street have upgraded ASTS in recent weeks, arguing that the share-price pullback reflected launch delays rather than weakening underlying demand.
Meta’s global head of quality of experience, network AI strategy and satellite/space, Vinod Samarawickrama, disclosed that Meta recently hosted AST SpaceMobile for a technical workshop focused on bringing WhatsApp connectivity to its satellite network.
Despite the recent optimism, ASTS stock has declined nearly 24% so far this year, leaving the stock with significant ground to recover for longer-term investors.
