$ASTS: 🚨🇯🇵 JAPAN SELECTS RAKUTEN AND AST SPACEMOBILE FOR $1B J-LEO PROJECT
➡️Rakuten discloses that initial commercial service w/ AST SpaceMobile will be launched in Q4 2026
➡️*In addition to commercial services starting in Q4/26, we plan to build a communication infrastructure through the J-LEO project. Details to be disclosed once finalized
➡️ Selected as an indirect subsidy operator under the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications’ “Japan Low Earth Orbit Satellite Communications Project (J-LEO)”, which supports the development of Japan's own satellite communications network
➡️ Holding the rights to own and operate satellites, aiming to achieve strong resilience that can maintain Japan's domestic communications infrastructure on a priority and stable basis, unaffected by external environments even in emergencies
➡️ To achieve resilience to prioritize and stably maintain domestic communication infrastructure in Japan
➡️ Maximizing capital efficiency to expand business opportunities in the satellite communications domain
credit: @Defiantclient2
https://t.co/uzwNaCP1aJ
WHY $ASTS DOESN’T NEED TO OWN THE CUSTOMER
AST uses BlueBird satellites in low Earth orbit to connect ordinary smartphones directly to broadband at speeds up to ~200 Mbps then routes that traffic through ground gateways back into the carrier’s existing network.
That lets AST extend coverage for nearly 60 MNO partners covering 3B+ subscribers without requiring new phones, apps or billing while using the carriers’ spectrum and customer relationships.
The model is essentially a wholesale revenue share so AST keeps 50% of subscription and day-pass revenue with estimates scaling from ~3M subscribers and ~300M of subscription revenue in 2027 to ~30M subscribers, ~$2B of subscription revenue by 2030.
The technology is proven but the next phase is a lot of execution because reaching those estimates depends on launching enough BlueBirds, adding gateways and securing country-by-country approvals to turn intermittent coverage into a continuous commercial network.
$ASTS: 🇪🇺 Satellite Connect Europe Opportunity --> The Firstnet of Europe
On May 27, 2026, the European Commission proposed a completely new regime for the EU's 2 GHz MSS spectrum after the existing Viasat/EchoStar authorizations expire in May 2027. The Commission specifically says the spectrum is strategically important for:
➡️Direct-to-device satellite service
➡️Critical communications
➡️Emergency response
➡️Public safety
➡️Crisis management
➡️Law enforcement
➡️Infrastructure protection
➡️Defense
And it explicitly contemplates hybrid terrestrial + satellite networks
Who is well positioned for this???
$ASTS only 10min into the day but we have an island gap potential here. You can see how the most recent two have played out. Key is for the gap to remain unfilled. These are powerful reversal patterns.
*NFA
$ASTS $META: 🚨META HOSTS AST SPACEMOBILE TEAM AT MPK OFFICE IN SAN FRANCISCO FOR COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIP
@Meta X @AST_SpaceMobile 🤝
+ End-to-end journey
+ Product vision
+ User experience
+ Network architecture
+ GTM strategy
+ Technical integration for D2D voice, video, messaging, and Meta AI experiences
$ASTS: Some dates to keep in mind for Grain Management's FCC Order. These are deadlines, so decisions can happen well before these dates. As a reminder AST SpaceMobile filed a letter in support of Grain Management and disclosed the two parties are working together to test Grain's 800MHz spectrum over AST SpaceMobile's Block-1/Block-2 constellation.
➡️August 7, 2026 — financial advisor: Grain must select a neutral, third-party advisor to administer the satellite/D2D partner-selection process. On the same date, Grain also must formally initiate the competitive process and broadly solicit bids from prospective satellite operators.
➡️November 5, 2026 — D2D partner: Grain must complete the competitive process and notify the FCC of the outcome through ECFS. So, effectively, this is the deadline to select its D2D/satellite partner if it wants the favorable D2D construction regime.
➡️December 4, 2026 — applications: If Grain selects a D2D partner, the parties must have complete and fully supported satellite/D2D applications filed by December 4 to qualify for the FCC's D2D-specific buildout benchmarks.
Guinness World Record. 🏆 We build bigger in Texas 💪💪💪
BlueBirds just made history, recognized by Guinness as the world’s largest commercial communications arrays ever deployed in low Earth orbit.
An American breakthrough in space engineering.
Built in Texas. Broadband from space. A market we invented. 🇺🇸🌎📶📱
#ASTSpaceMobile #GuinnessWorldRecords #Broadband #ConnectingtheUnconnected #BlueBirds