AST SpaceMobile Sets Launch Date Ahead of Key Q2 Earnings Test

Key Points

• AST SpaceMobile plans to launch BlueBird satellites 11, 12, and 13 on Aug. 5, advancing its goal of 45 satellites in orbit by early 2027.
• The company will report second-quarter earnings on Aug. 10, with investors seeking improvement after a Q1 miss on both earnings and revenue expectations.
• Shares remain highly volatile with a beta of 2.69 and heavy short interest, though institutional inflows have significantly outpaced outflows over the past year.

Space-based cellular broadband network provider AST SpaceMobile NASDAQ: ASTS has officially set the launch date for its next cohort of satellites as the company continues to pursue its goal of putting 45 BlueBirds into low Earth orbit (LEO) by early 2027.

On Tuesday, July 28, the SpaceX NASDAQ: SPCX rival announced that it is targeting Wednesday, Aug. 5, for liftoff of BlueBirds 11, 12, and 13—the latest three LEO satellites to join its direct-to-device (D2D) constellation.

According to AST SpaceMobile, the successful June launch of BlueBirds 8, 9, and 10 will be followed by BlueBirds 11, 12, and 13, while satellites 14 through 16 are already being prepared, and production has advanced through satellite 42.

With another satellite launch and its Q2 business update scheduled just days apart, AST SpaceMobile is approaching two important tests of whether its expanding constellation can support commercial service and justify the stock’s volatile valuation.

AST SpaceMobile’s Next Launch Tests Its Deployment Progress

As a group, space stocks have been dragged down over the past month as the fallout from SpaceX’s IPO continues.

AST SpaceMobile is no exception, with shares having plummeted more than 30% over the past 30 days. Since hitting its all-time high on May 28, that brings the stock’s total loss to nearly 56%.

But the company is doggedly focused on accelerating its launch schedule to meet its 2026 targets. That begins with next Wednesday’s tentatively planned deployment.

According to Scott Wisniewski, president of AST SpaceMobile, the orbital launch “combined with expanded manufacturing capacity and the recent successful launch and deployment of BlueBird satellites 8, 9, and 10, position [the company] for beta services later this year with our space-based cellular broadband coverage."

That service rollout will be aided by AST SpaceMobile’s numerous strategic partnerships that are already in place, including AT&T NYSE: T, Verizon Communications NYSE: VZ, Vodafone Group NASDAQ: VOD, American Tower NYSE: AMT, Alphabet NASDAQ: GOOGL, and Rakuten OTCMKTS: RKUNY. The company also has agreements with more than 50 mobile network operators and separately serves U.S. government applications and contracts.

AST SpaceMobile’s strategic partners include AT&T, Verizon Communications, Vodafone Group, American Tower, Google, Rakuten, Bell Canada, stc Group, and TELUS. The company also has agreements with more than 50 mobile network operators and separately serves U.S. government applications and contracts.

Notably, this next group of BlueBird satellites is expected to deliver nearly double the peak download speeds achieved by AST SpaceMobile’s Block 1 BlueBirds, which boast peak D2D download speeds of 98.9 Mbps directly to smartphones.

Although not a direct comparison with AST SpaceMobile’s direct-to-smartphone network,, for context, SpaceX’s Starlink satellites report download speeds of 45 Mbps to 280 Mbps for its terminal-based satellite internet service.

Q2 Earnings Could Clarify AST SpaceMobile’s Funding and Commercial Timeline

The week after its next planned launch date, AST SpaceMobile will be hosting its Q2 earnings call at 5 p.m. EST.

Investors hopeful that the company can rebound from its galactic Q1 double-miss when the company reported earnings per share of negative 66 cents against analyst expectations of negative 23 cents, and revenue of just $14.74 million compared to forecasts for $39.01 million.

Shareholders will also be looking for clarity on a recent private offering that has raised the specter of potential dilution, and whether speculation about the issuance of $1 billion in senior convertible notes was aimed at acquiring or investing in a rocket launch services provider.

Those notes will mature on Feb. 1, 2034, unless converted or repurchased at an earlier date. They are also eligible—at AST SpaceMobile’s discretion—for conversion into cash, Class A common stock, or a combination thereof.

Volatility, Short Interest, and Funding Risks Remain Elevated

Despite the recent crash in ASTS’ share price, it has been clawing back. On Thursday, July 30, the stock gained more than 10% and notably sits nearly 64% higher than its 52-week low on Sept. 9, 2025.

Shareholders have grown accustomed to ASTS’ inherent unpredictability, though. With a current beta of 2.69, the stock is approaching a level of volatility nearly 3x the broad market.

That, in part, is why analysts have been hesitant to upgrade the stock—which carries a consensus Hold rating—despite the average 12-month price target implying nearly 50% upside potential.

That elevated volatility has also contributed to outsized attention from bears. Current short interest stands at more than 19% of the float, or a little more than 59 million shares out of the 388 million shares outstanding. In dollar terms, $3.94 billion worth of ASTS is currently being sold short.

Revenue is scaling quickly, but profitability and operating cash flow remain under pressure. For investors, the more meaningful test will be whether AST SpaceMobile can convert its expanding satellite network into recurring commercial revenue while managing its substantial capital requirements.

Despite those financial risks, institutional activity has remained heavily tilted toward buyers. Over the past 12 months. Over the past 12 months, inflows of nearly $2.4 billion have dwarfed outflows of less than $483 million.