$ASTS - AST SpaceMobile could be awarded $1 billion this month 👀
"one operator is expected to be selected around the end of June"
The J-LEO Project is a massive Japanese government initiative aimed at building an autonomous, domestic satellite network to allow smartphone-to-satellite connectivity.
Backed by a substantial $1 billion budget through the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), the program focuses on:
* Providing direct-to-smartphone communication (DTC).Ensuring that vital satellite ground infrastructure is physically located in Japan for national security and autonomy.
* Guaranteeing free emergency services (SMS, data, and voice) during national disasters.
Currently, two major consortiums are competing for the project:
Rakuten Mobile partnering with AST SpaceMobile
KDDI partnering with SpaceX.
Exciting times.