FCC Approves AST's Launch of 223 Satellites
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 1 hour ago
0mins
Should l Buy ASTS?
Source: stocktwits
- Satellite Launch Approval: The FCC has authorized AST SpaceMobile to deploy 223 low Earth orbit satellites aimed at providing supplemental coverage and direct device connectivity, marking a significant regulatory win for the company in the U.S. and Hawaii.
- Spectrum Leasing Agreements: The approval confirms spectrum leasing arrangements with AT&T, Verizon, and public safety network FirstNet, enabling AST to offer satellite-to-smartphone services across the 700 MHz and 800 MHz bands, thereby enhancing its competitive position in the market.
- Commercial Deal Potential: The FCC's approval boosts the potential of AST's existing commercial agreement with Verizon, which may trigger a $45 million prepayment tied to regulatory approvals, thereby strengthening the company's future revenue streams.
- Surging Market Sentiment: ASTS shares rose 4% in after-hours trading and have surged 285% over the past year, reflecting strong investor optimism regarding the FCC approval, which is likely to attract more risk-averse institutional investors into the stock.
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Analyst Views on ASTS
Wall Street analysts forecast ASTS stock price to rise
8 Analyst Rating
3 Buy
4 Hold
1 Sell
Hold
Current: 81.000
Low
43.00
Averages
91.68
High
137.00
Current: 81.000
Low
43.00
Averages
91.68
High
137.00
About ASTS
AST SpaceMobile, Inc. is engaged in building a global cellular broadband network in space to operate directly with standard, unmodified mobile devices based on its intellectual property (IP) and patent portfolio and designed for both commercial and government applications. The Company is engaged in designing and developing the constellation of BlueBird (BB) satellites and has planned space-based Cellular Broadband network distributed through a constellation of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. Its SpaceMobile Service is being designed to provide high-speed cellular broadband services to end-users who are out of terrestrial cellular coverage using existing mobile devices. The Company intends to continue testing capabilities of the BW3 test satellite, including further testing with cellular service providers and the government. The Company has operations in India, Scotland, Spain, and Israel.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
FCC Approves AST's Launch of 223 Satellites
- Satellite Launch Approval: The FCC has authorized AST SpaceMobile to deploy 223 low Earth orbit satellites aimed at providing supplemental coverage and direct device connectivity, marking a significant regulatory win for the company in the U.S. and Hawaii.
- Spectrum Leasing Agreements: The approval confirms spectrum leasing arrangements with AT&T, Verizon, and public safety network FirstNet, enabling AST to offer satellite-to-smartphone services across the 700 MHz and 800 MHz bands, thereby enhancing its competitive position in the market.
- Commercial Deal Potential: The FCC's approval boosts the potential of AST's existing commercial agreement with Verizon, which may trigger a $45 million prepayment tied to regulatory approvals, thereby strengthening the company's future revenue streams.
- Surging Market Sentiment: ASTS shares rose 4% in after-hours trading and have surged 285% over the past year, reflecting strong investor optimism regarding the FCC approval, which is likely to attract more risk-averse institutional investors into the stock.
See More
AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird 7 Delay Raises Concerns
- Market Outlook Analysis: AST SpaceMobile still possesses one of the boldest long-term narratives in the market; however, the delay of BlueBird 7 has raised investor concerns, particularly as the stock is already priced for significant success.
- Launch Cadence Impact: The cadence of launches is crucial for business rollout, and delays could affect the company's competitive position, especially in the rapidly evolving tech industry.
- Importance of Timing: The current timing is more critical than ever, and investors need to monitor the progress of BlueBird 7's launch to assess its potential impact on the company's future performance.
- Stock Price Reaction: Market prices as of April 7, 2026, indicate that investor expectations for AST SpaceMobile are already high, and any delays could lead to stock price volatility, affecting market confidence.
See More
AST SpaceMobile Faces BlueBird 7 Delay Challenges
- Market Outlook Analysis: AST SpaceMobile still possesses one of the boldest long-term narratives in the market; however, the delay of BlueBird 7 raises questions about its future development, especially as the stock price already reflects expectations of major success.
- Launch Cadence Impact: Changes in launch cadence could affect AST SpaceMobile's rollout plans, with delays potentially undermining investor confidence in its long-term profitability, thereby negatively impacting the stock price.
- Investment Advisory Warning: Although AST SpaceMobile is recommended by The Motley Fool, the analyst team highlights that there are currently 10 stocks deemed more valuable for investment, which could yield substantial returns in the coming years, suggesting investors should be cautious in their selections.
- Historical Return Comparison: Historically, stocks recommended by The Motley Fool, such as Netflix and Nvidia, achieved remarkable returns post-recommendation, reaching $524,786 and $1,236,406 respectively, underscoring the importance of selecting quality stocks.
See More
Blue Origin Engine Issue Causes Satellite Launch Failure
- Launch Failure Cause: Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp indicated that early mission data points to insufficient thrust from the BE-3U engine during the second GS2 burn, resulting in the BlueBird-7 satellite failing to reach its intended orbit, with an investigation underway under the Federal Aviation Administration to determine the cause and support a return to flight operations.
- Market Reaction: Although Bank of America labeled the launch outcome a 'negative shock,' it stated that this does not fundamentally change AST SpaceMobile's business; however, the failure could impact the company's revised target of deploying 45 satellites in orbit by the end of 2026.
- Satellite Insurance Coverage: AST SpaceMobile confirmed that the BlueBird-7 satellite cost $23 million, which is expected to be recovered through its insurance policy, despite the satellite not joining its expanding space-to-smartphone broadband network.
- Retail Trader Sentiment: Despite ASTS stock dropping over 5% in the two days following the launch failure, retail sentiment on Stocktwits remains 'extremely bullish,' with message volumes surging over 440% in the past week, indicating investor confidence in a potential rebound.
See More
AST SpaceMobile's Satellite Launch Failure Affects Stock Price
- Satellite Launch Failure: AST's BlueBird 7 satellite was placed into a lower than planned orbit, impacting the company's space-based broadband network plans; while the satellite's cost will be recovered through insurance, this incident poses a negative shock to future satellite launches.
- Price Target Downgrade: Clear Street lowered its price target for AST SpaceMobile from $137 to $115 while maintaining a ‘Buy’ rating, indicating market concerns about the company's ability to meet its revised target of 45 satellites in orbit by the end of 2026.
- Analyst Insights: BofA analyst noted that the failure of BlueBird 7 is a “negative shock” but does not fundamentally alter AST's business model, with anticipated delays in future launches potentially resulting in a shortfall of about 7 satellites.
- Retail Investor Sentiment: Despite the launch failure, retail sentiment around ASTS stock remained in ‘extremely bullish’ territory over the past 24 hours, reflecting investor confidence in the company's future, although some users blamed Blue Origin for the satellite deployment failure.
See More
Stock Markets Decline Amid Soaring Oil Prices and Geopolitical Tensions
- Oil Price Surge Impacts Markets: The S&P 500 index fell 0.24%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.01%, and the Nasdaq 100 index declined 0.31% on Monday as WTI crude prices surged over 6%, indicating market sensitivity to rising energy costs amid geopolitical tensions.
- Geopolitical Risks Escalate: The closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran has raised market concerns, especially following U.S. Navy actions against Iranian tankers, which could exacerbate global oil and fuel shortages, further unsettling investor sentiment.
- Earnings Season Continues: So far, 81% of the 48 S&P 500 companies that reported earnings exceeded expectations, with Q1 earnings projected to rise 12% year-over-year; however, excluding the tech sector, growth is only expected at 3%, highlighting signs of economic weakness.
- Airline Stocks Under Pressure: Airline stocks retreated as rising oil prices weighed on profits, with American Airlines and Alaska Air both down over 4%, reflecting the direct impact of fuel costs on company earnings and potential downward revisions in future profit expectations.
See More
FCC Approves AST's Launch of 223 Satellites
- Satellite Launch Approval: The FCC has authorized AST SpaceMobile to deploy 223 low Earth orbit satellites aimed at providing supplemental coverage and direct device connectivity, marking a significant regulatory win for the company in the U.S. and Hawaii.
- Spectrum Leasing Agreements: The approval confirms spectrum leasing arrangements with AT&T, Verizon, and public safety network FirstNet, enabling AST to offer satellite-to-smartphone services across the 700 MHz and 800 MHz bands, thereby enhancing its competitive position in the market.
- Commercial Deal Potential: The FCC's approval boosts the potential of AST's existing commercial agreement with Verizon, which may trigger a $45 million prepayment tied to regulatory approvals, thereby strengthening the company's future revenue streams.
- Surging Market Sentiment: ASTS shares rose 4% in after-hours trading and have surged 285% over the past year, reflecting strong investor optimism regarding the FCC approval, which is likely to attract more risk-averse institutional investors into the stock.
See More
AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird 7 Delay Raises Concerns
- Market Outlook Analysis: AST SpaceMobile still possesses one of the boldest long-term narratives in the market; however, the delay of BlueBird 7 has raised investor concerns, particularly as the stock is already priced for significant success.
- Launch Cadence Impact: The cadence of launches is crucial for business rollout, and delays could affect the company's competitive position, especially in the rapidly evolving tech industry.
- Importance of Timing: The current timing is more critical than ever, and investors need to monitor the progress of BlueBird 7's launch to assess its potential impact on the company's future performance.
- Stock Price Reaction: Market prices as of April 7, 2026, indicate that investor expectations for AST SpaceMobile are already high, and any delays could lead to stock price volatility, affecting market confidence.
See More
AST SpaceMobile Faces BlueBird 7 Delay Challenges
- Market Outlook Analysis: AST SpaceMobile still possesses one of the boldest long-term narratives in the market; however, the delay of BlueBird 7 raises questions about its future development, especially as the stock price already reflects expectations of major success.
- Launch Cadence Impact: Changes in launch cadence could affect AST SpaceMobile's rollout plans, with delays potentially undermining investor confidence in its long-term profitability, thereby negatively impacting the stock price.
- Investment Advisory Warning: Although AST SpaceMobile is recommended by The Motley Fool, the analyst team highlights that there are currently 10 stocks deemed more valuable for investment, which could yield substantial returns in the coming years, suggesting investors should be cautious in their selections.
- Historical Return Comparison: Historically, stocks recommended by The Motley Fool, such as Netflix and Nvidia, achieved remarkable returns post-recommendation, reaching $524,786 and $1,236,406 respectively, underscoring the importance of selecting quality stocks.
See More
Blue Origin Engine Issue Causes Satellite Launch Failure
- Launch Failure Cause: Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp indicated that early mission data points to insufficient thrust from the BE-3U engine during the second GS2 burn, resulting in the BlueBird-7 satellite failing to reach its intended orbit, with an investigation underway under the Federal Aviation Administration to determine the cause and support a return to flight operations.
- Market Reaction: Although Bank of America labeled the launch outcome a 'negative shock,' it stated that this does not fundamentally change AST SpaceMobile's business; however, the failure could impact the company's revised target of deploying 45 satellites in orbit by the end of 2026.
- Satellite Insurance Coverage: AST SpaceMobile confirmed that the BlueBird-7 satellite cost $23 million, which is expected to be recovered through its insurance policy, despite the satellite not joining its expanding space-to-smartphone broadband network.
- Retail Trader Sentiment: Despite ASTS stock dropping over 5% in the two days following the launch failure, retail sentiment on Stocktwits remains 'extremely bullish,' with message volumes surging over 440% in the past week, indicating investor confidence in a potential rebound.
See More
AST SpaceMobile's Satellite Launch Failure Affects Stock Price
- Satellite Launch Failure: AST's BlueBird 7 satellite was placed into a lower than planned orbit, impacting the company's space-based broadband network plans; while the satellite's cost will be recovered through insurance, this incident poses a negative shock to future satellite launches.
- Price Target Downgrade: Clear Street lowered its price target for AST SpaceMobile from $137 to $115 while maintaining a ‘Buy’ rating, indicating market concerns about the company's ability to meet its revised target of 45 satellites in orbit by the end of 2026.
- Analyst Insights: BofA analyst noted that the failure of BlueBird 7 is a “negative shock” but does not fundamentally alter AST's business model, with anticipated delays in future launches potentially resulting in a shortfall of about 7 satellites.
- Retail Investor Sentiment: Despite the launch failure, retail sentiment around ASTS stock remained in ‘extremely bullish’ territory over the past 24 hours, reflecting investor confidence in the company's future, although some users blamed Blue Origin for the satellite deployment failure.
See More
Stock Markets Decline Amid Soaring Oil Prices and Geopolitical Tensions
- Oil Price Surge Impacts Markets: The S&P 500 index fell 0.24%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.01%, and the Nasdaq 100 index declined 0.31% on Monday as WTI crude prices surged over 6%, indicating market sensitivity to rising energy costs amid geopolitical tensions.
- Geopolitical Risks Escalate: The closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran has raised market concerns, especially following U.S. Navy actions against Iranian tankers, which could exacerbate global oil and fuel shortages, further unsettling investor sentiment.
- Earnings Season Continues: So far, 81% of the 48 S&P 500 companies that reported earnings exceeded expectations, with Q1 earnings projected to rise 12% year-over-year; however, excluding the tech sector, growth is only expected at 3%, highlighting signs of economic weakness.
- Airline Stocks Under Pressure: Airline stocks retreated as rising oil prices weighed on profits, with American Airlines and Alaska Air both down over 4%, reflecting the direct impact of fuel costs on company earnings and potential downward revisions in future profit expectations.
See More
