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.
All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.
AST SpaceMobile has five satellites on orbit and plans to launch another 17 satellites in stages over the next few months.
AST SpaceMobile merged with a SPAC in 2021.
Apple’s latest investment in Globalstar comes as SpaceX, AST SpaceMobile, and others seek permission to use cellular spectrum from space to deliver texting, voice, and broadband services directly to Android phones.
AST SpaceMobile’s satellite technology features large phased array antennas supported by over 3,450 patent and patent-pending claims.
AST SpaceMobile deployed the largest commercial phased array communications arrays ever launched in low Earth orbit on BlueBirds 1-5.
AST SpaceMobile is partnering with leading operators including AT&T, Verizon, and Vodafone to provide service through its U.S. coverage cells.
AST SpaceMobile will target 100% nationwide coverage across the United States using more than 5,600 cells on premium low-band spectrum.
AST SpaceMobile is building a global cellular broadband network in space to operate directly with standard, unmodified mobile devices based on its IP and patent portfolio.
Each Block 1 BlueBird matches the size of AST SpaceMobile’s BlueWalker-3 prototype launched two years ago.
AST SpaceMobile needs regulatory approval to test services using wireless frequencies from telco partners AT&T and Verizon in the United States.
Starting next year, AST SpaceMobile plans to deploy Block 2 BlueBirds with 10 gigahertz of processing bandwidth per satellite.
The 19 HALO pool members are Airbus U.S. Space & Defense (Arlington, Virginia); Apex Technology, Inc. (Culver City, California); AST Space Mobile USA LLC (Midland, Texas); Astro Digital, U.S. Inc. (San Jose, California); Capella Space Corp. (San Francisco); CesiumAstro Inc. (Austin, Texas); Firefly Aerospace, Inc. (Cedar Park, Texas); Geneva Technologies Inc. (Monument, Colorado); Impulse Space, Inc. (Redondo Beach, California); Kepler Communications U.S. Inc. (Wilmington, Delaware); Kuiper Government Solutions (KGS) LLC (Arlington, Virginia); LeoStella LLC (Tukwila, Washington); Momentus Space (San Jose, California); Muon Space, Inc. (Mountain View, California); NovaWurks Inc. (Los Alamitos, California); Space Exploration Technologies Corps. (SpaceX) (Hawthorne, California); Turion Space Corp. (Irvine, California); Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems, Inc. (Irvine, California); and York Space Systems LLC (Denver).
SpaceX launched the first five production satellites for AST SpaceMobile’s direct-to-smartphone broadband constellation on 2024-09-11.
AT&T and Verizon have invested in AST SpaceMobile and plan to provide the wireless frequencies the constellation needs to reach standard smartphones in the United States.
AST SpaceMobile expects over $155,000,000 in proceeds from a previously announced redemption of warrants, resulting in over $440,000,000 in cash on a pro forma basis as of 2024-06-30.
AST SpaceMobile plans to launch as many satellites as it builds in 2025.
Falcon 9 launched AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird 1-5 mission to low-Earth orbit on Thursday, 2024-09-12 at 4:52 a.m. ET from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
AST SpaceMobile has licenses to test wireless frequencies from the five BlueBirds in other countries where it plans to deploy services.
AST SpaceMobile requires Federal Communications Commission permission to provide commercial direct-to-smartphone services.
AST SpaceMobile plans to target approximately 100% nationwide coverage from space with over 5,600 coverage cells in the United States.