Investing.com -- Shares of Ast Spacemobile Inc (NASDAQ:ASTS) climbed 7.1% higher after Wednesday’s open, building on a 4.3% gain from the previous session, as investors responded to renewed speculation around a potential strategic tie-up with Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, or even Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) itself. The rally was triggered by an Instagram post from board member Adriana Cisneros showing herself, ASTS CEO Abel Avellan, and Bezos together, captioned: “Amazing things are happening at AST&Science + Blue Origin.”
The significance of the meeting, which came just days after Blue Origin executives visited ASTS headquarters in Texas, was underscored by subtle details, as Scotiabank (TSX:BNS) pointed out that Cisneros and Avellan wore guest badges and Bezos did not. The setting and context have prompted speculation that discussions may have moved beyond previously disclosed launch logistics to cover broader strategic and financial matters.
ASTS already holds a major commercial agreement with Blue Origin for the launch of up to 45 BlueBird Block 2 satellites, with options for 15 more. Each New Glenn launch can carry up to eight satellites, making ASTS one of Blue Origin’s top launch customers and a potentially attractive partner for further collaboration.
Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket, a reusable heavy-lift vehicle capable of carrying 45 tons to orbit, made its debut in January 2025, reaching orbit but failing on booster recovery. The next launch is scheduled for the third quarter of 2025, and ASTS is expected to be a central customer as it accelerates satellite deployment.
Scotiabank analyst Andres Coello weighed in with a note reiterating a “Sector Outperform” rating and a $45.40 price target, while questioning the narrow interpretation of the meeting. “Jeff Bezos Met With Abel Avellan and Adriana Cisneros... to Discuss Rockets Only?” he wrote, suggesting that deeper commercial integration or even a strategic stake could be under discussion, particularly given overlapping ambitions with Amazon’s Project Kuiper.
The Kuiper constellation, Amazon’s answer to global broadband, is targeting a fixed service retail model with plans to deploy 3,236 satellites, backed by an investment of up to $16 billion. ASTS, by contrast, is pursuing wholesale direct-to-device broadband and sees long-term revenue of $30 billion by 2033, surpassing the $25 billion forecasted for Kuiper by Scotiabank GBM analyst Nat Schindler, while projecting EBITDA margins of around 90%.
As ASTS’s first institutional investor and current board member, Cisneros has played a visible role in raising the company’s profile and flagging key developments publicly. Her social media post, combined with the high-level nature of the meeting, has been interpreted by markets as a signal that strategic conversations may be gaining momentum.
The outsized move in ASTS shares reflects growing investor belief that its relationship with Blue Origin, and by extension Bezos or Amazon, may be evolving into something more significant. With strategic synergies around broadband access, launch logistics, and technology assets, the market is beginning to price in the possibility of a broader commercial or financial alignment.