NEW YORK, March 30, 2026, 10:10 EDT
AST SpaceMobile has circled April 10 as the new date for its next major launch, landing just as Rocket Lab hits another operational first. Investors in both of these active U.S. space names now have more concrete updates to work with, instead of just chatter. Over the weekend, Blue Origin posted on X that its New Glenn-3 rocket is eyeing no earlier than April 10 for the BlueBird 7 mission with AST. Rocket Lab, for its part, said Friday that it wrapped up its inaugural dedicated launch for the European Space Agency. X (formerly Twitter)
It’s notable, given both stocks had ridden the SpaceX IPO buzz last week. SpaceX could file its prospectus as early as this week or next, Reuters said March 24. Two days later, the outlet reported Elon Musk might allocate up to 30% of the IPO to retail buyers. Rocket Lab surged 10.3% on March 25, and AST, along with other space stocks, also pushed higher. Reuters
Attention returns to execution now. AST continues piecing together its direct-to-device satellite network, aiming for ordinary smartphones to connect straight to space without extra gear. Rocket Lab, by contrast, is already pulling in money through launching rockets, building spacecraft, and defense deals. Reuters
AST’s March 2 update put BlueBird 7 encapsulated at Cape Canaveral, eyeing a launch sometime in March. After that, launches are lined up roughly every one to two months, aiming to get between 45 and 60 satellites in orbit by the close of 2026. Blue Origin had previously pegged NG-3 for no sooner than late February. Now, the revised April 10 launch target pushes things further out past both original schedules. SEC
AST, based in Midland, Texas, is pushing past its early-stage rollout, aiming for broader direct-to-device service. “In 2026, we expect to scale our space-based direct-to-device network from initial commercial activation toward the start of broader commercial service,” said Chairman and CEO Abel Avellan. The company logged $70.9 million in revenue for 2025, secured over $1.2 billion in contracted partner commitments, and wrapped the year with more than $3.9 billion in cash and liquidity, on a pro forma basis. SEC
Rivals are moving, too. Orange announced this month it’s teaming up with AST and Satellite Connect Europe to bring satellite-to-smartphone connectivity. The French operator also pointed out its multi-vendor strategy, naming Starlink, Eutelsat, and SES among its partners. Reuters
Rocket Lab delivered a smoother headline over the weekend. The Long Beach-based launch firm confirmed its Electron rocket put ESA’s first two Celeste satellites into low Earth orbit on March 28—the company’s 85th mission, and its sixth this year. “Orbital accuracy is critical for the beginning of a new constellation,” CEO Peter Beck said. Francisco-Javier Benedicto Ruiz, who heads navigation at ESA, added the effort might make Europe’s system “more resilient, more robust.” Rocket Lab
Rocket Lab’s latest launch comes as the company sits on a record $1.85 billion backlog. For all of 2025, revenue totaled $602 million, a 38% jump, and guidance for the first quarter points to $185 million to $200 million. Fourth-quarter non-GAAP gross margin reached 44.3%. The company also secured an $816 million contract from the Space Development Agency to build 18 missile-warning and tracking satellites. Back in December, Reuters said Rocket Lab was picked for tranche 3 awards alongside Lockheed Martin, L3Harris, and Northrop Grumman. SEC
Still, a lot could trip things up. AST reported fourth-quarter operating expenses of $126.6 million. That March launch? Now it’s aiming for April instead. Management’s push to get 45 to 60 satellites up before year-end hasn’t gotten any less ambitious. Over at Rocket Lab, the first flight of its bigger Neutron rocket slips to the fourth quarter following a stage 1 tank test failure. The company is sticking with its forecast for an adjusted EBITDA loss between $21 million and $27 million this quarter. SEC
AST SpaceMobile dropped 2.6% to $76.62 by 10:10 a.m. EDT Monday, while Rocket Lab slipped 3.5% to $58.78. Up ahead, the comparison between the two turns to April 10—Blue Origin is aiming for the BlueBird 7 launch on that date. X (formerly Twitter)