AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) climbed 31.5% in early trading as investors reacted to the company’s upcoming launch of its next-generation satellite and plans to expand its direct-to-phone satellite network. The move signals growing confidence in the company’s ability to deliver on its core mission.
- AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) shares rose 31.5% on December 6, 2025
- Next-generation satellite launch set for early 2026
- Constellation to expand to six satellites from five
- Target: 200 million users across North America, Europe, and parts of Asia and Africa
- 98.3% success rate in third-quarter test transmissions
- Projected latency under 150 milliseconds and 5 Mbps downstream speeds
AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) recorded a 31.5% surge in share price on December 6, 2025, driven by new operational milestones and expansion plans for its satellite infrastructure. The rally followed confirmation of the imminent launch of the company’s second-generation satellite, designed to enhance global coverage and improve connectivity speeds for mobile devices without requiring specialized hardware. The upcoming satellite, part of AST SpaceMobile’s Bluewalker constellation, is expected to enter low Earth orbit in early 2026. This launch will add to the existing fleet of five operational satellites, bringing the total to six. The expanded network aims to support over 200 million users across North America, Europe, and select regions in Asia and Africa, with initial commercial service launching in Q2 2026. Financially, the company reported a 42% increase in operational capacity quarter-over-quarter, attributed to improvements in ground station throughput and satellite uplink efficiency. AST SpaceMobile also disclosed that its direct-to-phone service has achieved a 98.3% success rate in test transmissions across 14 countries during the third quarter of 2025, reinforcing its technical readiness. The stock movement reflects heightened investor optimism, particularly among growth-focused funds and telecommunications investors anticipating broader market penetration. Analysts note that if the expanded network delivers on its latency and data throughput targets—projected at under 150 milliseconds and 5 Mbps downstream—the company could capture a significant share of the emerging satellite-based mobile connectivity market.