Electro Optic Systems is accumulating meaningful defense and space opportunities. It has MoUs for Czech vehicle systems and Indian high-energy lasers, was selected for the US Space Force's satellite-tracking reserve, and has an A$700m Kuwait counter-drone contract that could drive over 80% of revenue in 12–24 months. x.com 

AST SpaceMobile's direct-to-phone satellite network makes it an extremely bullish long-term space-economy bet. Partnerships with more than 60 mobile operators representing over 3 billion potential subscribers and about $1.3 billion in contracted revenue backlog support the case. It targets initial, intermittent broadband coverage in five countries before end-2026; its market cap is roughly half Rocket Lab's, though both face significant execution risks. x.com 

AST SpaceMobile's D2D prospects weaken as telcos look to Amazon and Ligado may give up spectrum. Telcos see Amazon as their most realistic potential savior, though their JV seems poised to sign MOUs with both. People consulted expect Amazon to buy Viasat mainly for international spectrum; US capacity and timing remain uncertain. AST's payments do not cover Ligado's Viasat dues, so Ligado may settle with the US for auction credits and surrender spectrum rights, leaving AST stranded. x.com 

AST SpaceMobile is semi-sovereign at best because an American company ultimately owns and controls its satellites. It is hard to see many countries, especially the EU, buying a fully sovereign pitch when they may want to own the entire space-mobile stack, as with compute infrastructure. AST can still win big on international agreements; some may be permanent, while others may be temporary if countries decide to build their own capacity. x.com  x.com  x.com 

Voyager Technologies looks particularly interesting as a picks-and-shovels supplier to the space economy. At a $1.5B market cap, it builds propulsion, missile defense, spacecraft electronics, space intelligence and agentic AI, stations, lunar infrastructure and orbital computing; it partners with Palantir and Anduril. Rocket Lab, AST SpaceMobile and Voyager could be like Apple, Microsoft and Intel in the 1980s: their value in two decades matters more than in two years. x.com 

SpaceX's competitive threat makes AST SpaceMobile less attractive at these levels than SpaceX and Rocket Lab. AST SpaceMobile's weekly chart shows a downtrend and strong outflows, though the stock is near marked support. x.com 

AST SpaceMobile is about to run to $250, fast. The call follows a joint US–Japan State Department statement, as reported in a quoted post, in which both governments welcomed Rakuten Group and AST SpaceMobile's cooperation to develop and deploy low-Earth-orbit satellite infrastructure, bringing the Rakuten–AST initiative into the countries' bilateral Technology Prosperity framework. x.com 

AST SpaceMobile's Japan deal matters less for its $1B headline than for three structural advantages. Japan approved 700MHz band 28 for direct-to-device, and Rakuten is the only carrier holding it, so KDDI, Docomo and SoftBank cannot copy it. The joint venture owns the satellites, so government money buys BlueBirds and ground gear from AST as near-term equipment revenue. Sovereign-backed debt also answers the dilution bear case. Final approval is pending, with rules expected around September. … Show more

AST SpaceMobile's reliance on competitor SpaceX for satellite launches weakens its moat further. SpaceX has bought its own spectrum, raising competitive risk. Piper Sandler downgraded ASTS over the pace of 2026-27 launches and SpaceX's potential to limit launch availability or undercut service pricing, though the bank remains constructive beyond 2027. x.com 

AST SpaceMobile's selloff on SpaceX news looks excessive because the satellite-connectivity market could support multiple winners; AST need not be close to SpaceX to have a place. A further fall would make the opportunity more interesting, and AST would probably be the pick over SpaceX. x.com  x.com  x.com