ASTS Stock Jumps Overnight As Japan D2C Launch With Rakuten Nears — Guinness World Record Sparks Fresh Optimism

• ASTS recently told the FCC that non-U.S. direct-to-cell operations are expected to begin “imminently.”
• The first disclosed market is Japan, where AST will work with Rakuten Mobile using 700 MHz spectrum.
• Rakuten expects limited service in 2026 and nationwide coverage in fiscal 2027.

Shares of AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) rose 2% overnight late Sunday after a regulatory filing said that direct-to-cell operations with Rakuten Mobile in Japan could begin imminently, while Guinness World Records recognition for its BlueBird satellite arrays added to investor optimism ahead of the company’s next launch.

ASTS stock tumbled 34% in July, marking its worst monthly performance since January 2024. However, shares rebounded 5% last week, snapping a three-week losing streak. 

ASTS Nears Japan D2C Launch With Rakuten 

In a filing from last week with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), AST SpaceMobile said it would begin non-U.S. direct-to-cell operations “imminently” with its mobile network operator partners. The filing names Japan and Rakuten Mobile, with service set to use Rakuten’s licensed 700 MHz spectrum. AST said that all required Japanese authorizations had been secured, including a user-equipment license from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.

The filing follows Japan’s June recommendation to allow low-Earth-orbit satellites to connect directly with ordinary smartphones over the 700 MHz band. That route is important for Rakuten, which does not control the 2 GHz spectrum used by Starlink-backed services in Japan. AST SpaceMobile sits at the center of Rakuten’s plan to build a competing satellite network.

Rakuten CEO Hiroshi Mikitani has said the companies plan to form an equally owned satellite venture, with limited service expected in 2026 and nationwide coverage targeted for fiscal 2027. The service is expected to focus on remote areas and disaster zones, where terrestrial coverage is limited or unavailable.

BlueBirds Set Guinness Record Ahead of Launch

Over the weekend, AST SpaceMobile said on X that its BlueBird satellites had been recognized by Guinness World Records for deploying the largest commercial communications arrays in low-Earth orbit. AST called the milestone “an American breakthrough in space engineering,” highlighting the large phased arrays designed to connect directly with standard smartphones.

Investor attention now turns to this week’s launch of BlueBird satellites 11, 12 and 13 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral. The company said on Friday that the satellites were stacked and ready, with BlueBirds 14, 15 and 16 set to follow and production advancing through BlueBird 42.

“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,” President Scott Wisniewski said. He added that the launch and recent manufacturing progress position AST SpaceMobile for beta services later this year.

The next-gen satellites are expected to deliver nearly twice the peak speeds of the company’s initial Block 1 BlueBirds, which recently reached 98.9 Mbps directly to standard smartphones.

How Do Retail Traders Feel About ASTS?

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment for ASTS slipped to ‘bearish’ from ‘neutral’ levels a day ago amid a 65% jump in 24-hour message volumes.

One user said, “Japan could become another major piece of the satellite connectivity story. $ASTS The push for domestic-controlled satellite services creates an interesting opportunity for players already building global networks. Still early, but the market opportunity keeps expanding. A lot of pieces are starting to line up.”

Another user said, “$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. Watching the next milestones closely.”

ASTS stock has risen 11% over the past year. 

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