Thread by @WinPickles4Life

10 things I love about $ASTS @AST_SpaceMobile culture is they have flexibility/simplicity/resiliency built into their DNA. @AbelAvellan

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1. Look at the choice to use @Rakuten #O-RAN from the start. This lets @AST_SpaceMobile source from multiple suppliers using off the shelf components.

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2. #OpenRAN allows their array to have total flexibility in frequencies and beam patterns while allowing forward compatibility while in orbit.

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3. High redundancy in the microns and throughout BlueWalker3 ensures high reliability, expected life, and guarantee of safe end of life de-orbiting.

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4. The flexibility of @Rakuten #OpenRAN allows @AST_SpaceMobile to be compatible with every MNO on earth. It also give @Rakuten a foot in the door with all the MNOs.

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5. The high degree of vertical integration minimizes supply chain disruptions, reduces costs, and decreases production time.

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6. Given the high degree of redundancy and simplicity of using stored energy damping hinges, the only likely issue with BlueWalker3 is software related - which can be easily modified in orbit thanks to FPGAs.

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7. BlueBirds are built to be launch agnostic meaning they can use nearly any launch vendor.

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8. @AST_SpaceMobile has figured out how to turn the launch adapter into a separable faring, using payload space that was once unusable. This adds greater flexibility to launch schedules thus reducing future delays beyond the company’s control.

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9. By working with MNOs @AST_SpaceMobile will quickly acquire customers without the marketing/spectrum/regulatory costs that MNOs across the world bare - this likely equates to >100B for combined MNO spend.

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10. By using large arrays BlueBirds will be over 10x cost/spectrum efficient compared to competitors like Lynk. Less control modules, flight systems, satellites to test, launches to manage, better beam forming, etc.

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Special thanks to @CatSE___ApeX___ and @steve_larrison, these are your thoughts/findings.