Welcoming Sharad Sriwastawa - Co-CEO of @Rakuten_Mobile and President of @RakutenSymphony - and his team to Midland as we work together to bring space-based cellular broadband connectivity to Japan.
Together, we are advancing a space-based resilience network to expand everyday connectivity where coverage is limited or unavailable and keep communities and emergency responders connected when disasters strike. 🇺🇸 🇯��📶🌎📱
#ASTSpaceMobile #ConnectingtheUnconnected
SPACE RACE: CHINA CLOSES THE GAP
China is rapidly expanding its satellite capabilities, narrowing the technology gap with the U.S.
Advanced surveillance, AI-powered imagery, the BeiDou navigation system, and new communications satellites are improving Beijing's ability to track military activity, support precision strikes, and strengthen its space network.
U.S. officials warn these advances could challenge American military superiority and reshape the balance of power in space.
$ASTS South Korean Ministry of Science and ICT met with Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications on June 17. 🇰🇷 🤝 🇯🇵
Topic: Critical collaborative management strategies for next-generation frequencies, specifically 6G & LEO sats.
Good for AST and Starlink 👏
🚨 𝗣𝗦𝗟𝗩 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿!!
ISRO is planning to launch the PSLV-C62 mission in mid/late December, which will be the return to flight for PSLV following a failure in its previous mission. 🚀
(via internal sources)
Upcoming launches for ISRO in 2025 -
• LVM3-M5 》2 November
• LVM3-M6 》1st week of December
• PSLV-C62 》Mid/late December
$ASTS:🚨 APPLE SEEKING TO INTEGRATE AST SPACEMOBILE LIGADO SPECTRUM INTO NEW IPHONES, LIKELY STARTING WITH IPHONE 18 PRO NEXT YEAR
APPLE FILED A 3GPP CHANGE REQUEST TO RAN4 3GPP WORKING GROUP TO ENSURE THAT AST SPACEMOBILE LIGADO SPECTRUM WILL WORK WITH FUTURE IPHONE, IPADS AND OTHER APPLE DEVICES
In March 2025 Apple filed a 3GPP Change Request to RAN4, the body that sets global cellular standards, titled "Introduction of the NTN L-bands to TS 38.101-5".
Apple's submission is to formally introduce new L-band satellite frequency ranges into the 3GPP standard for 5G NTN (Non-Terrestrial Network) user equipment, including AST SpaceMobile's Ligado L-band spectrum designated as "n255".
Apple's proposal seeks to help shape the 5G NTN standard to ensure interoperability of Apple's hardware with any 3GPP-compliant satellite network, including AST SpaceMobile's next generation Block-3 BlueBird constellation that will utilize Ligado and other MSS L- and S-band spectrum globally.
AST SpaceMobile Ligado n255 L-band Spectrum
Uplink: 1626.5 - 1660.5MHz
Downlink: 1525 - 1559MHz
Importantly, AST SpaceMobile's Block-2 BlueBird constellation, focused on 600-900MHz Cellular spectrum, will deliver broadband connectivity to any existing unmodified mobile phone, including all current and prior generations of Apple iPhones.
$ASTS ISRO Schedules @AST_SpaceMobile Bluebird Launch for Late November – LVM3-M6 to Launch Before LVM3-M5?
ABN, Published on October 18, 2025
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is gearing up for a commercial launch of the Bluebird Block-2 communication satellite from Sriharikota by late November.
American Communications Satellite Arrives at SHAR
New Delhi, October 17 (IANS) – The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is preparing for another commercial mission. The United States is set to launch its Bluebird Block-2 communication satellite, weighing 6,500 kg, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SHAR) in Sriharikota using the LVM3-M6 rocket by the end of November.
The satellite was transported to SHAR in a specialized vehicle under tight Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) protection in the early hours of Friday.
Accompanying the satellite, eight American scientists have arrived at SHAR and will remain there until the launch is completed.
According to ISRO sources, the previously scheduled launch of the LVM3-M5 rocket on October 24 has been postponed.
AST SpaceMobile's Bluebird 6 satellite launching on the LVM3-M6 mission has completed final assembly & testing and is set to be delivered to ISRO on 12 October! 🛰
Currently the launch of LVM3-M6 is planned in December-January. It'll be the 2nd LVM3 launch in upcoming months. 🚀
BlueBird 6 has completed final assembly and testing and is ready for flight! 🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀 On October 12, it will head to India aboard an Antonov large cargo plane ✈️
We are officially kicking off our next-gen launch campaign:
• BlueBird 7 is expected to ship to the Cape Canaveral launch site in October
• BlueBirds 8-16 are in various stages of production, with launches planned every 1-2 months on average during 2025 and 2026
• On track to complete 40 phased arrays by early 2026, bringing us to BlueBird 46
• Expecting 45-60 satellites in orbit by year-end 2026
We have partnered with 50+ mobile network operators serving nearly 3 billion subscribers, supported by a flexible spectrum strategy blending our own licensed spectrum with partner spectrum. These BlueBirds will be the largest commercial satellites ever deployed in LEO – each featuring a 2,400 sq ft phased array with true direct-to-cell broadband, capable of up to 10,000 MHz of processing bandwidth and peak speeds of 120 Mbps per cell 🌎📶#5G
#ASTSpaceMobile #BlueBird6 #NextGenBlueBird #BroadbandFromSpace #ConnectingtheUnconnected
BlueBird 6 is fully assembled, and final tests are being completed imminently to be ready for shipment! 🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀
BlueBirds 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 are in various stages of production, targeting to complete all phased arrays this month. We are on track to complete 40 phased arrays by early 2026, bringing us to BlueBird 46. Each BlueBird is the largest commercial satellite ever launched to low Earth orbit!
This is just the start of our deployment roadmap, with launches every 1-2 months on average moving forward, and 20 satellites approved to launch by the FCC — and more to come. The future of space-based cellular broadband connectivity is around the corner! 🌎📱📶💪
#ASTSpaceMobile #BlueBird6 #NextGenBlueBird
$ASTS guys, it's SUPER BULLISH! SpaceX spent $19B on Echostar spectrum that they won't even be able to use until phones are modified in 2 years to pick up those signals. I bet it's going to take longer than 2 years, and by that time, ASTS will have had their full space mobile service up and running for a while.
To me, it seems SpaceX is playing catch-up/defense since it's clear ASTS is a paradigm shifter. Elon clearly doesn't want traditional MNOs to dictate the space communications future, which is full satellite-to-device.
But SpaceX is being greedy, trying to eventually take MNOs' market and compete directly with them. It's pathetic that T-Mobile is pushing their useless TSatellite service but will be getting stabbed in the back by Elon soon.
In short, Elon knows the world is going to space mobile and can't bear to think that he won't be a part of it. That being said, I'm buying more, and ASTS is about to moon!!!
The future of mobile broadband from space anywhere you go – with SpaceMobile
Our space-based cellular broadband network powered by the largest (2400 sq ft) and most advanced commercial phased arrays ever deployed in low Earth orbit. They will be capable of tuning in across 1150 MHz of premium low and mid band spectrum globally, 45 MHz of licensed Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) low-mid band spectrum in North America, and up to 60 MHz of S-band spectrum outside North America. In partnership with our 50+ mobile network operator partners representing 3+ billion subscribers.
Everything in your phone – voice, video, internet browsing, apps, streaming, email, FaceTime, WhatsApp – powered by our satellite broadband network capable of delivering up to 120 Mbps peak data rates.🌎📶📱
#ASTSpaceMobile #BlueBird #ConnectingTheUnconnected #Broadband
@blueorigin Congrats to @BlueOrigin on the successful NS-33 launch! Amazing work getting another crew to space. Wishing you just as much success with the next launch for AST SpaceMobile! 🚀 #NewShepard#NewGlenn $ASTS