Shares of AST SpaceMobile (NASDAQ: ASTS) climbed 1% in overnight trading after Vodafone Ireland announced a successful test of satellite-enabled emergency communications using AST SpaceMobile’s constellation.
The trial marked the first test of its kind in Europe, demonstrating how integrated terrestrial and low-Earth-orbit direct-to-device satellite broadband can maintain communications during storms, power outages, and in hard-to-reach areas.
The live test took place on Clare Island in County Mayo, Ireland, as part of a collaboration between Vodafone and the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, known as the OGCIO.
The trial was conducted through Satellite Connect Europe, the joint venture between Vodafone and AST SpaceMobile, which connected directly to AST SpaceMobile’s satellite constellation for the test.
Vodafone confirmed that the trial showed how satellite connectivity on a standard smartphone could support both voice and data services for frontline responders when traditional mobile networks are unavailable.
The satellite-enabled mission-critical communications call was made by Vodafone and OGCIO representatives to David Lund, coordinator of the European Union Critical Communications Service in the U.K.
Vodafone described the test as a milestone for Ireland and for the broader evolution of emergency communications across Europe, underlining the strategic significance of the result.
The Ireland trial adds further momentum to Satellite Connect Europe, which formally launched in February as a European open-access direct-to-device satellite broadband provider for mobile network operators.
The Luxembourg-based joint venture holds exclusive European access to AST SpaceMobile’s low-Earth-orbit constellation, which the company says can deliver mobile broadband directly to standard 4G and 5G smartphones without specialized software, device upgrades, or updates.
Satellite Connect Europe is also rolling out five Europe-based ground stations, with builds already underway in Spain and the U.K. and three additional locations currently being finalized.
The company says this structure ensures that network operations, data handling, and service control remain within European jurisdiction, an important consideration for government and emergency services customers.
The Vodafone Ireland trial comes as AST SpaceMobile continues to scale its BlueBird satellite network, with the company confirming that BlueBirds 8, 9, and 10 are now in orbit and operational.
BlueBirds 11, 12, and 13 are next in line, with a launch from Cape Canaveral targeted for the first half of August, and satellites now in production through BlueBird 37, up from BlueBird 32 earlier this year.
The next batch is expected to feature commercial communications arrays of approximately 2,400 square feet and deliver nearly double the peak data speeds of the company’s initial Block 1 BlueBird satellites.
ASTS stock jumped 19% last week, snapping a four-week losing streak, and has now risen 86% over the past year, reflecting growing investor confidence in the company’s expanding commercial footprint.
Retail sentiment on Stocktwits for ASTS was described as “bullish” amid normal message volume, with one user stating, “$ASTS so excited for upcoming week! I await some PRs which will bring us easy to over 100$ This stock is so undervalued right now. Time to bring it to a fair value.”
Another user expressed similar optimism, expecting “$90+ on the open tomorrow on its way to ATH,” reflecting the enthusiasm surrounding the company’s recent operational and commercial milestones.
