AST SpaceMobile shares surge 19.04% after-hours on BlueBird 6 launch and commercial agreements with Verizon, stc Group.

AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) surged 19.04% in after-hours trading, driven by a confluence of strategic developments. The company announced the imminent launch of its next-generation BlueBird 6 satellite on December 15, a critical step toward expanding its space-based cellular network. This milestone, coupled with new manufacturing sites in Texas and Florida (doubling its workforce), accelerated satellite production and reinforced commercial partnerships, including $1.15 billion in revenue commitments from Verizon, stc Group, and others. Analysts highlighted the BlueBird 6 launch as a validation of ASTS’s ability to scale its constellation, with Deutsche Bank and Roth Capital raising price targets post-Q3 results. The stock’s rally also reflected optimism around a $175 million prepayment from stc Group and growing institutional interest, as the company moves closer to full commercial service. These developments collectively de-risked the business and signaled progress toward connecting 3 billion devices via 4G/5G smartphones, fueling investor confidence in ASTS’s transformative potential.