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AST SpaceMobile Gears Up for Its BlueBird 6 Launch Next Week
Submitted by Jordan Chussler. Published: 12/11/2025.
Quick Look
- AST SpaceMobile is slated to launch its next BlueBird 6 satellite next week.
- BlueBird 6 is 3.5 times as large as its predecessors and is expected to support 10 times their data capacity.
- Despite gaining more than 265% this year, ASTS is still favorable among Wall Street’s institutional investors and has a $1 billion revenue pipeline awaiting its services.
On Monday, Dec. 15, AST SpaceMobile (NASDAQ: ASTS) is scheduled to launch its next-generation satellite, BlueBird 6. The launch is expected to strengthen the company's space-based cellular broadband network and will serve as an important test of the Midland, Texas–based firm's ability to scale operations.
The milestone marks a key step toward the newcomer's goal of providing direct-to-smartphone, around-the-clock high-speed cellular service. It's no surprise investors and analysts are watching closely for clues about AST SpaceMobile's technological progress and the stock's trajectory into 2026.
BlueBird 6's Launch Serves as a Credibility Test for AST SpaceMobile
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BlueBird 6 will carry the largest commercial phased-array antenna of any satellite in low Earth orbit (LEO) at 2,400 square feet. For context, AST SpaceMobile's BlueWalker 3 (a prototype test satellite launched on Sept. 10, 2022) and BlueBirds 1–5 (launched on Sept. 12, 2024) were equipped with arrays measuring 693 square feet.
BlueBird 6 is roughly 3.5 times larger than its predecessors and will support about 10 times their data capacity. It is scheduled to launch from India's Satish Dhawan Space Center next week. While the launch may appear routine to some observers, it is a major milestone for the company.
AST SpaceMobile is accelerating production and operations. By the end of 2026, the space-telecommunications firm plans to have between 45 and 60 BlueBird satellites in LEO serving the United States, Europe and Japan.
Of those satellites, about 40 are expected to be online in early 2026, highlighting how rapidly the company is scaling. Looking further ahead, AST SpaceMobile intends to develop a larger fleet of up to 90 satellites — fewer in number but larger than those deployed by competitors such as Starlink.
That makes Monday's launch especially important if AST SpaceMobile hopes to accelerate its deployment schedule.
To meet these targets, the company is relying on a workforce of more than 1,800 employees, some 1,800 patents or patent-pending claims, and roughly half a million square feet of manufacturing and operations facilities worldwide. According to a recent press release, the company is "95% vertically integrated, with all major manufacturing processes kept under U.S. control."
By the end of 2025, AST SpaceMobile says it will have the capacity to manufacture six launch-ready BlueBirds per month.
ASTS's $1 Billion Revenue Pipeline in Waiting
Perhaps as notable as its space ambitions is the revenue pipeline the company expects once its services go live. Although AST SpaceMobile has said it will likely provide only intermittent nationwide coverage in early 2026, it plans to offer continuous service later in the year as it launches additional BlueBird satellites and expands its coverage.
That outlook has helped the company secure more than $1 billion in aggregate contracted revenue from commercial partners and the U.S. federal government, according to the company's Q3 business update.
Government agreements include a $43 million contract with the U.S. Space Development Agency for network services. The company has also signed agreements with the National Science Foundation and the Department of Defense for national-security demonstration projects through the DoD's Hypersonic and Advanced Space-based Testbed (HALO) program.
Commercially, AST SpaceMobile has agreements with Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ), AT&T (NYSE: T) and Vodafone Group (NASDAQ: VOD). It also has commercial pacts with Japanese tech conglomerate Rakuten (OTCMKTS: RKUNY), real estate investment trust American Tower (NYSE: AMT), and BCE (NYSE: BCE), formerly Bell Canada Enterprises.
Where Wall Street Stands on ASTS
Despite gaining more than 265% this year, AST SpaceMobile remains popular with institutional investors. Much of the enthusiasm reflects the company's strategic partnerships and the expected revenue flow from those deals.
That prospective $1 billion in contracted revenue has Wall Street largely bullish on ASTS. The current short interest is 14.44%, down 5.20% from the previous reporting period.
The short-interest dollar value is also well below the $3.55 billion worth of shares that were short on Oct. 15, a record since AST SpaceMobile went public.
Institutional ownership remains high at nearly 61%. Over the past 12 months, institutional buyers (296) have outnumbered sellers (105), with inflows of about $1.9 billion easily surpassing outflows of just over $312 million.
Vanguard is a notable holder. As the largest institutional investor, the firm owns more than 19.9 million shares, valued at nearly $977.7 million.
The asset manager increased its position 13.4% last quarter, reflecting a broader trend among AST SpaceMobile's other top institutional holders. During the same quarter, Northern Trust, Gotham Asset Management and VackEck Associated increased their positions by 18.1%, 37.8% and 125.1%, respectively.
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