Direct Smartphone Connectivity from Space: U.S. Satellite Communication Stocks Poised for Commercial Services and Major Launches

AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASTS) reaffirmed in its Q1 2026 earnings announcement its plans for additional BlueBird satellite deployments, a mid-June Falcon 9 launch, FCC approval for commercial SpaceMobile service in the U.S., and annual revenue guidance of $150 million to $200 million.

In the first quarter, revenue reached approximately $14.7 million (around KRW 20 billion), driven by U.S. government milestone payments and gateway deliveries. The company highlighted achieving a 98.9 Mbps data transmission to a standard smartphone and progress in vertical-integration production of BlueBird satellites Nos. 11 through 33.

Although R&D spending and investments in satellites, facilities, and spectrum led to a quarterly net loss of about $200 million (roughly KRW 300 billion), AST SpaceMobile holds approximately $3.5 billion (about KRW 5 trillion) in cash. Leveraging this liquidity, the company plans to launch around 45 satellites into orbit during 2026. Insider transactions totaling several million dollars (tens of billions of KRW) by executives were disclosed in May 2025 and May 2026 for tax payments and routine stock sales.

Recently, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission granted AST SpaceMobile authority for a complementary satellite constellation of up to 248 satellites and approved its direct-to-cell service in the U.S. using low-band spectrum owned by AT&T, Verizon, and FirstNet, completing key regulatory steps toward commercial launch.

Three BlueBird satellites (Nos. 8–10) are currently in final preparations at Cape Canaveral ahead of a mid-June SpaceX Falcon 9 launch. Following the loss of BlueBird 7 due to an off-nominal orbit insertion aboard Blue Origin’s New Glen rocket, the company switched its launch partner to SpaceX to maintain deployment momentum.

Headquartered in Midland, Texas, AST SpaceMobile is a satellite communications company building a space-based cellular broadband network to provide direct-to-smartphone connectivity via its low Earth orbit BlueBird constellation.

In cooperation with major carriers such as AT&T and Verizon, AST is developing direct-to-device services to complement terrestrial networks. As demand grows for expanded coverage and disaster response, the direct-to-device satellite communications market is expanding, positioning AST SpaceMobile as a key industry player.