AST SpaceMobile is a publicly traded satellite designer and manufacturer headquartered in Midland, Texas, focused on building a space-based cellular broadband network. Their SpaceMobile network aims to connect directly to standard, unmodified smartphones via their constellation of low Earth orbit satellites, like the BlueBird series. AST SpaceMobile partners with mobile network operators like AT&T, Verizon, and Vodafone to expand cellular coverage and provide connectivity in underserved areas, also securing contracts with the U.S. government for secure and reliable connectivity.
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Vodafone ordered a gateway as part of the deal to route data that AST SpaceMobile satellites would receive from smartphones outside terrestrial coverage into Vodafone’s network and back to the user.
Vodafone joined Google and AT&T in investing in AST SpaceMobile as part of a $155,000,000 investment round.
AST SpaceMobile is seeking debt financing from the Export-Import Bank of the United States to help expand its constellation.
AST SpaceMobile signed launch contracts for up to 45 Block 2 BlueBird satellites between 2025 and 2026 with options for around 15 more.
AST SpaceMobile estimates that 45 to 60 satellites would be sufficient to deliver continuous space-based cellular broadband service in Europe and Japan and has early agreements with local telcos in those regions.
Two SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets are planned to each carry four Block 2 BlueBirds for AST SpaceMobile.
AST SpaceMobile operates a direct-to-cellular satellite business.
India’s GSLV is scheduled to launch a single Block 2 BlueBird as AST SpaceMobile’s first Block 2 mission.
AST SpaceMobile previously estimated Block 2 BlueBird build-and-deploy costs at $16,000,000 to $18,000,000 before launch costs were contracted.
AST SpaceMobile’s capital expenditures are expected to increase from $27,000,000 for the three months to 2024-09-30 to around $100,000,000 for the fourth quarter of 2024 as satellite production and launch contract payments ramp up.
AST SpaceMobile booked rockets from Blue Origin and other launch providers to deploy enough satellites between 2025 and 2026 to provide full text, voice, and 0.005 kg data services to standard mobile phones across the United States and other key markets.
AST SpaceMobile still needs permission to commercially provide its direct-to-smartphone services in the United States alongside other competitors including SpaceX.
AST SpaceMobile’s chief financial officer expects the company to spend between $19,000,000 and $21,000,000 to build and deploy each Block 2 BlueBird.
AST SpaceMobile has contracts to launch up to 45 Block 2 BlueBird satellites with options for around 15 additional Block 2 BlueBirds to reach the level needed to enable U.S. anchor customers AT&T and Verizon to keep subscribers connected outside cell tower coverage nationwide.
AST SpaceMobile recorded $519,000,000 in cash at the end of September, up from $288,000,000 at the end of the previous quarter.
AST SpaceMobile expects to secure additional sources of funding after deploying 25 Block 2 BlueBirds, including the potential to generate free cash flows to fund the remaining constellation.
All New Glenn launches for the AST SpaceMobile Block 2 BlueBird satellites will occur from Blue Origin’s Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station over a multi-year period.
In an 2024-10-24 FCC filing, AST SpaceMobile argued that Starlink cannot offer a viable D2C service without an FCC waiver.
AST SpaceMobile estimates that an initial service requires roughly 45 to 60 satellites and that a full global service requires about 110 satellites.
AST SpaceMobile plans to have 45 to 60 BlueBird satellites in orbit during 2025 to start an initial service.