We just published a list of the 10 Best Satellite and Space Stocks Billionaires Are Buying and AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTS) ranked 8th on this list.
Over the past few years, space and satellites companies have gone from being considered speculative, meme stocks to an investable category. Businesses in the sector are generating solid revenue and are receiving high-value government and defense contracts that are closely tied to their growth stories.
The biggest story of the year for the sector was Musk’s rocket and spacecraft manufacturer’s IPO in June, which was the biggest ever, making it one of most valuable companies in the world with a market cap of $1.77 trillion at the time.
Check out our list of the 10 Fastest-Growing Space Stocks to Buy Now.
Photo from AST SpaceMobile website
However, the ride so far has been rough. As of the close on November 6, the stock is down by more than 36% from the post-IPO peak in June, representing a decline of 10% since the Nasdaq debut.
This is a reflection of the sector on a whole. Stocks have remained volatile in 2026, surging to peaks during the first half of the year amid optimism around AI and upcoming IPOs, followed by a sharp pullback during the back half of the year.
That said, the macro backdrop offers reasons to be enthusiastic about. Morgan Stanley anticipates the global space industry to grow from $350 billion in size to touch the $1 trillion mark by 2040, as governments across the world pump hefty amounts into next-generation space infrastructure every year.
AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTS) is a satellite designer and manufacturer focused on building a global cellular broadband network in space that is accessible by smartphones for commercial use, as well as for government use. According to Insider Monkey, 15 billionaires held a stake in the company, as of Q2 2026.
This is a big appeal for investors who believe there is a sizable market in covering areas that terrestrial towers miss. The company’s backlog also continues to grow. According to Insider Monkey’s database for Q2 2026, 15 billionaires held a stake in the company.
AST SpaceMobile, Inc. has partnered with over 60 mobile network operators, which serve more than 3 billion users, to integrate their ground infrastructure with its satellite network. Subscribers’ phones will automatically connect to the company’s satellites for uninterrupted coverage whenever they are out of reach of cell towers.
In August this year, President Trump signed a memo to increase the number of U.S. commercial space launches and re-entries to at least 1,000 each year by 2030. This is likely to benefit several players in the sector, including ASTS which is racing to get more spacecraft into orbit.
