By Adam Clark

AST SpaceMobile and SpaceX shares were rising early Wednesday. An apparently successful mission to deploy satellites is validation for both companies, which are rivals in the field of space-based communications.

Elon Musk's SpaceX said Wednesday that it had deployed three of AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird satellites into orbit.

AST SpaceMobile shares were rising 4.8%, while SpaceX was gaining 3.4% in premarket trading.

For AST SpaceMobile, the launch could help erase painful memories of the loss of a previous satellite in April due to a botched launch by Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos' rocket company.

That failed launch tanked the stock as investors questioned whether it would push back AST SpaceMobile's aim of getting at least 45 satellites into orbit by the end of the year, the minimum required for a commercial service in northern latitudes.

The Wednesday launch of three satellites will bring AST SpaceMobile's total satellites into orbit to nine. However, investors will still be waiting for confirmation that the satellites -- which are unusually large -- have unfurled and are operating correctly, which could take several weeks.

For SpaceX, the mission is a reminder of its status as the commercial rocket launch provider of choice -- even for its competitors.

Although SpaceX provides launch services for AST SpaceMobile, it is also aiming to compete with its smaller rival by providing broadband-quality connections to mobile phones from space. SpaceX's Starlink Mobile is promising a similar service to AST SpaceMobile by the end of next year.

SpaceX closed Tuesday as the fifth most valuable company in the world, rising just shy of 50% from its initial public offering price of $135 on Friday. AST SpaceMobile has fallen 15% since Friday's close.

Write to Adam Clark at adam.clark@barrons.com

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June 17, 2026 06:04 ET (10:04 GMT)

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