Shares of AST SpaceMobile (NASDAQ: ASTS) climbed 2% overnight Sunday after a regulatory filing signaled that direct-to-cell satellite operations in Japan could begin imminently.
The filing, submitted to the Federal Communications Commission, confirmed AST SpaceMobile would launch non-U.S. direct-to-cell operations with its mobile network operator partners in the near term.
Japan is the first disclosed market, where AST will work alongside Rakuten Mobile using the carrier’s licensed 700 MHz spectrum band.
AST confirmed that all required Japanese regulatory authorizations have been secured, including a user-equipment license from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.
The development follows Japan’s June recommendation to permit low-Earth-orbit satellites to connect directly with standard smartphones over the 700 MHz frequency band.
That spectrum route is particularly significant for Rakuten, which does not control the 2 GHz spectrum currently used by Starlink-backed satellite services operating in Japan.
Rakuten CEO Hiroshi Mikitani has said the two companies plan to form an equally owned satellite venture, targeting limited service in 2026 and nationwide coverage in fiscal 2027.
The planned service is expected to prioritize remote areas and disaster zones where conventional terrestrial mobile coverage remains limited or entirely unavailable.
Adding to investor optimism, AST SpaceMobile announced over the weekend that its BlueBird satellites received Guinness World Records recognition for deploying the largest commercial communications arrays in low-Earth orbit.
AST described the milestone as “an American breakthrough in space engineering,” pointing to the large phased arrays engineered to connect directly with unmodified smartphones.
Investor focus now shifts to this week’s scheduled launch of BlueBird satellites 11, 12, and 13 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, with the satellites confirmed as stacked and ready.
BlueBirds 14, 15, and 16 are set to follow, with production currently advancing through BlueBird 42, signaling meaningful momentum in the company’s manufacturing pipeline.
President Scott Wisniewski commented on the upcoming mission, saying “The upcoming launch of BlueBirds 11, 12, and 13 showcases our ability to rapidly and consistently build, launch, and deploy the largest phased arrays in low Earth orbit.”
Wisniewski added that the launch and recent manufacturing progress position AST SpaceMobile for beta services later in the year, a key milestone the market has been closely watching.
The next-generation BlueBird satellites are expected to deliver nearly twice the peak data speeds of the company’s initial Block 1 units, which recently reached 98.9 Mbps directly to standard smartphones.
ASTS stock had tumbled 34% during July, its worst monthly performance since January 2024, before recovering 5% last week to snap a three-week losing streak.
On Stocktwits, retail sentiment for ASTS slipped to “bearish” from “neutral” levels, accompanied by a 65% jump in 24-hour message volumes, reflecting heightened but divided trader attention.
One Stocktwits user wrote, “Japan could become another major piece of the satellite connectivity story. The push for domestic-controlled satellite services creates an interesting opportunity for players already building global networks.”
Another user noted, “$ASTS has another big month ahead. Every successful BlueBird launch chips away at the execution concerns. The technology is one thing, but proving the rollout is what the market cares about.”
Over the past year, ASTS stock has gained 11%, with the upcoming Japan launch and this week’s satellite deployment representing the next critical tests of the company’s commercial execution.
