SpaceLight Readingabout 2 hours ago
Rakuten and AST Form Satellite JV
3 min read
Rakuten and AST SpaceMobile announced a joint venture in Japan on Monday, backed by US$1 billion grants from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. The partnership aims to launch direct-to-smartphone service via AST's Bluebird network starting March 2029, utilizing 13 current satellites and a new Blacklift rocket expected in late 2028 to expand coverage.
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