AST SpaceMobile, Inc. engages in building the first and only global Cellular Broadband network in space to be accessible directly by everyday smartphones (2G/4G-LTE/5G devices) for commercial use, and other applications for government use utilizing its extensive intellectual property (‘IP’) and patent portfolio.
The company’s SpaceMobile Service is being designed to provide cost-effective, high-speed cellular broadband services to end-users who are out of terrestrial cellular coverage, using ex...
AST SpaceMobile, Inc. engages in building the first and only global Cellular Broadband network in space to be accessible directly by everyday smartphones (2G/4G-LTE/5G devices) for commercial use, and other applications for government use utilizing its extensive intellectual property (‘IP’) and patent portfolio.
The company’s SpaceMobile Service is being designed to provide cost-effective, high-speed cellular broadband services to end-users who are out of terrestrial cellular coverage, using existing mobile devices. The SpaceMobile Service is planned to be provided by a constellation of high-powered, large phased-array satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO), using low-band and mid-band spectrum controlled by mobile network operators (MNOs).
The company intends to work with MNOs to offer the SpaceMobile Service to the MNOs’ end-user customers. The SpaceMobile Service is expected to be highly attractive to MNOs, as it will enable them to improve and differentiate their service offering without significant incremental capital investments. The SpaceMobile Service is expected to enable MNOs to augment and extend their coverage without building towers or other land-based infrastructure.
The company also intends to leverage its patented technology, including large phased array and high power capability of its BlueWalker 3 (BW3) test satellite and its BB satellites, for a variety of applications in the government sector. To this end, the company has entered into agreements with prime contractors for the United States (U.S.) government to perform certain tasks and intends to seek to enter into other similar agreements with the U.S. government, either directly or through prime contractors, to develop and test certain non-communication applications and, once qualified, provide certain non-communication and communication services through its satellites.
On April 1, 2019, the company launched its first test satellite, BlueWalker 1 (BW1), which was used to validate its satellite-to-cellular architecture and was capable of managing communications delays from LEO and the effects of Doppler in a satellite-to-ground cellular environment using the 4G-LTE protocol.
The company launched its BW3 test satellite on September 10, 2022, and announced the completion of the deployment of the communication phased array antenna of the BW3 test satellite in orbit on November 14, 2022. Using the BW3 test satellite, the company successfully completed two-way 5G voice calls directly to standard unmodified smartphones, achieved repeated successful download speeds of above 21 megabits per second (Mbps) to standard unmodified smartphones, and spectral efficiency of approximately 3 bits per second per hertz. The company has also successfully completed initial in-orbit and ground testing for non-communication government applications. The company intends to continue testing capabilities of the BW3 test satellite, including further testing with cellular service providers and the U.S. government.
The company launched five first-generation commercial BB satellites (Block 1 BB satellites) on September 12, 2024. The Block 1 BB satellites are of similar size and weight to the BW3 test satellite and have ten times higher throughput than the BW3 test satellite. In October 2024, the company completed the deployment of the communication phased array antennas and Q/V antennas in orbit and performed a series of monitoring tests and activities to confirm the successful initial operations of the Block 1 BB satellites. In January 2025, the company successfully made the first SpaceMobile video call from space with Vodafone using standard unmodified smartphones. In February 2025, the company completed the voice and video call tests on standard unmodified smartphones with AT&T and Verizon in the U.S., and also completed the tests for non-communication applications for the U.S. government. All five Block 1 BB satellites have participated in the tests at various stages. The company expects to continue testing for SpaceMobile Service, including beta testing prior to rollout of initial non-continuous SpaceMobile Service in select markets, including the United States, Europe, and Japan.
The company’s next generation of commercial BB satellites (Block 2 BB satellites), featuring up to approximately 2,400 square feet communication array, the largest communication array to be ever deployed in a LEO for commercial use, and more than three times bigger than the communication array of the Block 1 BB satellites in orbit today, are designed to deliver up to 10 times the bandwidth capacity of the Block 1 BB satellites.
In addition, when the company introduces its own AST5000 Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) chip in the Block 2 BB satellites, it expects to achieve materially greater throughput capacity of up to 40 MHz per beam to support 120 Mbps peak data rates and up to 10,000 MHz of processing bandwidth per Block 2 BB satellite, require less power, and offer a lower overall unit cost. The company has reached key production milestones and is in the initial production phase of the first batch of the ASIC chip. Until the company introduces its ASIC chip in Block 2 BB satellites, it expects to continue to manufacture and launch Block 2 BB satellites that are based on a Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA) chip.
The company has entered into launch agreements with multiple launch service providers, which will enable it to commence a planned launch campaign during 2025 and 2026 to launch approximately 60 Block 2 BB satellites. The company has commenced assembling and testing the Block 2 BB satellites in accordance with its plan to meet this launch campaign, to enable continuous SpaceMobile Service coverage across key markets, such as the United States, Europe, Japan, and other strategic markets, as well as to facilitate U.S. government applications. The company expects to ship the first next-generation Block 2 BB satellite to the launch provider by the end of April 2025 for a launch estimated to occur shortly thereafter, which will commence the company’s launch campaign of approximately 60 Block 2 BB satellites in 2025 through 2026. The timing of shipment of the first Block 2 BB satellite is contingent on a number of factors, including satisfactory and timely completion of the assembly and testing of the Block 2 BB satellite, regulatory approvals for the launch, readiness of the launch vehicle, logistics, and other factors, many of which are beyond its control.
The company operates from multiple locations that include AIT and engineering and development locations elsewhere in the United States, India, Scotland, Spain, and Israel.
Strategy
The company intends to build a SpaceMobile Service that leverages its technology to provide cellular broadband services to MNO end-user customers around the world, using existing mobile devices, and for government use. The principal components of the company’s strategy are to develop complementary relationships with mobile network operators, focus on providing wholesale services to mobile network operators, maintain a modular deployment schedule, continue to build and leverage relationships with wireless infrastructure providers, maintain the company’s focus on technology and innovation, develop relationships with multiple launch vehicle providers, and explore opportunities for a variety of applications in the government sector.
Technology Development Activities
Satellite Design and Development
The company conducts a majority of its satellite design and development activities by utilizing its global engineering team, including space scientists, mechanical and electronics engineers, semiconductor engineers, RF and communications engineers, software developers, system engineers, and consultants on various aspects of its satellite system development efforts. The company’s design and development activities primarily take place in its engineering and development centers located in the United States, Scotland, Spain, India, and Israel. In addition, the company utilizes third-party technology partners to assist in the development of certain satellite technology.
The company owns the IP of its ASIC chip. While the company’s initial Block 2 BB satellites currently in production are designed to support low-band spectrum only, it continues to make progress towards the completion of the design and development of its Block 2 BB satellites supporting mid-band spectrum.
The company’s Block 2 BB satellites are expected to be approximately 2,400 square feet in size and more than three times bigger than the communication array of the Block 1 BB satellites, which, by themselves, are the largest satellites in LEO. The Block 2 BB satellites will have the largest phased array ever deployed in a LEO for commercial use. The company expects that the Block 2 BB satellites will benefit from the advantages of a larger aperture array and its own ASIC chip.
Satellite Deployment and Coverage Plans
The company is developing a phased satellite deployment plan and corresponding commercial launch plan of the SpaceMobile Service based on targeted geographical areas to provide the SpaceMobile Service to the most commercially attractive MNO markets. The company plans to achieve non-continuous SpaceMobile Service in the selected, targeted geographical markets with the launch and operation of a total of 25 BB satellites (five Block 1 BB satellites and 20 Block 2 BB satellites).
Customers, Sales, and Marketing
The company has developed relationships with companies, such as Vodafone, Rakuten, AT&T, Verizon, Google, American Tower, and others, that have innovative technologies and products, skilled personnel, and potential end-user customers that complement its strategy.
The company has entered into agreements with prime contractors for the U.S. government to perform certain tasks on its BW3 test satellite and its Block 1 BB satellites in orbit today and intends to seek to enter into other similar agreements with the U.S. government or prime contractors for the U.S. government. The company has also been selected by the Space Development Agency (SDA) for an Other Transaction agreement to compete for upcoming prototype demonstration projects under the Hybrid Acquisition for proliferated Low-earth Orbit (HALO) program. The company will now have the opportunity to compete directly as a prime contractor for specific prototype orders, demonstrating the feasibility and scalability of its technology for various government applications.
The SpaceMobile Service is being designed to offer cellular broadband under the company’s wholesale business model with MNOs. The company expects the MNOs will market its SpaceMobile Service to their existing customers, who will be the ultimate end-users. The company generally seeks to negotiate a revenue-sharing model in its agreements with MNOs. To date, the company has entered into definitive commercial agreements with AT&T and Vodafone, and approximately 50 preliminary agreements and understandings with other MNOs.
Manufacturing, Assembly, and Launch
The company’s strategy is to control the manufacturing and supply chain of the components used in its BB satellites, and assemble, integrate, and test BB satellites primarily in its AIT facilities in Texas.
Intellectual Property
The company’s IP portfolio is expansive and technologically diverse, containing numerous and various innovations of the direct-to-cell satellite ecosystem from space to Earth. As of December 31, 2024, the company’s IP portfolio consisted of more than 3,500 patent and patent-pending claims worldwide, of which approximately 1,550 have been officially granted or allowed. The company has 36 patent families worldwide and to date, it has 45 granted United States patents (44 of which it owns and one of which is exclusively licensed to it) and at least five United States patent applications that have been indicated as allowable and ready for issue pending completion of patent office formalities. The company also has approximately 26 currently pending United States patent applications. Moreover, the company has 19 granted international patents providing protection in 17 different countries, including Europe, Australia, Canada, India, Japan, and South Korea, and six that have been indicated as allowable and ready for issue pending completion of patent office formalities. The company has approximately 61 pending international patent applications in the countries, as well as under the Patent Cooperation Treaty.
Competition
The company faces competition from existing and new companies, including SpaceX’s Starlink and Globalstar. In addition, the company faces competition from existing service providers, such as Inmarsat, Globalstar, ORBCOMM, Thuraya Telecommunications Co., and Iridium Communications, that offer a range of mobile and fixed communications options.
Key Wireless Infrastructure Provider Relationships
The company has relationships with various wireless infrastructure providers.
Vodafone
On December 9, 2024, AST LLC and Vodafone entered into a definitive long-term commercial agreement through 2034, subject to certain termination rights, which establishes the framework for Vodafone to offer space-based cellular broadband connectivity in its home markets, as well as to other operators via its Partner Markets program (the ‘Vodafone Commercial Agreement’).
American Tower
The company and American Tower have entered into a side letter agreement that was subsequently amended and restated on December 15, 2020, to reflect the transactions and agreements contemplated by the Equity Purchase Agreement between the company and New Providence Acquisition Corp. (NPA) (the ‘Amended and Restated Letter Agreement’).
Rakuten
On February 4, 2020, the company entered into a commercial agreement with Rakuten for the development of exclusive network capabilities in Japan compatible with the mobile network of Rakuten and its affiliates, which agreement was amended and restated as of December 15, 2020 (the ‘Rakuten Agreement’).
AT&T
The company has achieved many significant milestones in its collaboration with AT&T over the years. The company achieved its first two-way voice call in April 2023, first over-the-top video application call in June 2023, and first direct-to-cellular 5G call in September 2023 using its BW3 test satellite, and its first video call in February 2025 using its Block 1 BB satellites. The company has also collaborated with AT&T to test applications of a nationwide public safety network built with and for America’s first responders in January 2024.
On May 10, 2024, AST LLC and AT&T entered into a definitive commercial agreement (‘AT&T Commercial Agreement’) through 2030, subject to auto-renewal for successive two-year periods unless either party terminates.
Google
AST LLC entered into a letter agreement on January 16, 2024, with Google, LLC (‘Google’), whereby the parties will negotiate and execute a definitive agreement to provide, among other things, certain services to each other and have agreed to collaborate on product development, testing, and implementation plans for SpaceMobile network connectivity on Android devices (such agreement, the ‘Services Agreement’).
Verizon
On May 23, 2024, AST LLC and Verizon entered into a Memorandum of Understanding, pursuant to which Verizon has made a non-refundable commercial payment for prepaid service revenue, creditable against future service revenue of AST LLC, and will make a second commercial payment for prepaid service revenue, creditable against future service revenue of AST LLC, subject to the company receiving certain regulatory approvals for the company’s SpaceMobile Service and entry into a definitive commercial agreement.
Research and Development
The company’s total research and development costs were $28.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2024.
History
AST SpaceMobile, Inc. was founded in 2017. The company was incorporated in 2019.