AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) shares fell as much as 18.5% on Friday. The decline followed a Blue Origin New Glenn rocket explosion during a Thursday evening test at Cape Canaveral. This incident triggered a broad sell-off across the space sector.
Deutsche Bank downgraded ASTS from Buy to Hold and lowered its price target. Analysts cited significant launchpad damage and the destruction of the test rocket as primary concerns.
AST SpaceMobile relied on the New Glenn vehicle for a significant number of 2026 launches. Analysts now project a six-month delay for the company's satellite deployment schedule.