Launch campaign from Cape Canaveral Florida
Space Force Station is planned during 2025 and 2026, utilizing
existing launch vehicles and Blue Origin’s New Glenn for up to ~60
Block 2 satellites, each the largest-ever commercial communications
arrays deployed into low Earth orbit
AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (“AST SpaceMobile”) (NASDAQ: ASTS), the
company building the first and only space-based cellular broadband
network accessible directly by everyday smartphones, and designed
for both commercial and government applications, today announced
launch services agreements securing the orbital launch capacity to
enable continuous space-based cellular broadband service coverage
across some of the most in-demand cellular markets globally. AST
SpaceMobile's global service will initially target key markets such
as the United States, Europe, Japan, the U.S. Government and other
strategic markets. The Cape Canaveral Florida Space Force Station
launch campaign, scheduled during 2025 and 2026, will utilize
existing launch vehicles and Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket for up
to ~60 Block 2 satellites to low Earth orbit.
This press release features multimedia. View
the full release here:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241114979308/en/
AST SpaceMobile selected Blue Origin's
New Glenn together with existing launch vehicles to launch next
generation BlueBird satellites from Cape Canaveral. (Photo:
Business Wire)
“We have now contractually secured orbital launch capacity
during 2025 and 2026 to enable continuous cellular broadband
service coverage of the AST SpaceMobile network,” said Scott
Wisniewski, President of AST SpaceMobile. “With these new launch
services agreements, our in-house vertically integrated
manufacturing capabilities in Texas, our mobile operator partners,
and the additional capital raised during 2024, we are now
well-positioned to reach our goal of continuous cellular broadband
service coverage, enabling our service to hundreds of millions of
users around the world and the U.S. Government.”
The next-generation Block 2 BlueBirds are designed to deliver up
to 10 times the bandwidth capacity of the BlueBird satellites in
orbit today, accelerating the goal to achieve 24/7 continuous
cellular broadband service coverage. The service will target
approximately 100% U.S. nationwide coverage from space with over
5,600 coverage cells, with beams designed to support a capacity of
up to 40 MHz, enabling peak data transmission speeds up to 120
Mbps, supporting voice, full data and video applications. The Block
2 BlueBirds, featuring up to 2,400 square foot communications
arrays, will be the largest ever commercially deployed in low Earth
orbit once launched, surpassing the current record held by AST
SpaceMobile’s BlueBird 1-5 and BlueWalker 3, each ~700 square feet
in size.
The Block 2 BlueBirds are designed to be compatible with all
major launch vehicles. Blue Origin’s launch vehicle, the New Glenn,
offers a seven-meter fairing enabling twice the payload volume of
five-meter class commercial launch systems, and is well-suited to
launching up to 8 of the largest-ever Block 2 BlueBirds.
During 2024, AST SpaceMobile has secured additional strategic
investment from AT&T, Verizon, Google and Vodafone, and new
contract awards with the United States Government, directly and
through prime contractors. The company has agreements with more
than 45 mobile network operators globally, which have over 2.8
billion existing subscribers total, including Vodafone Group,
AT&T, Verizon, Rakuten Mobile, Bell Canada, Orange, Telefonica,
TIM, Saudi Telecom Company, Zain KSA, Etisalat, Indosat Ooredoo
Hutchison, Telkomsel, Smart Communications, Globe Telecom,
Millicom, Smartfren, Telecom Argentina, MTN, Telstra, Africell,
Liberty Latin America and others. AT&T, Verizon, Vodafone,
Google, Rakuten, American Tower, Cisneros Group and Bell Canada are
also existing investors in AST SpaceMobile.
About AST SpaceMobile
AST SpaceMobile is building the first and only global cellular
broadband network in space to operate directly with standard,
unmodified mobile devices based on our extensive IP and patent
portfolio, and designed for both commercial and government
applications. Our engineers and space scientists are on a mission
to eliminate the connectivity gaps faced by today’s five billion
mobile subscribers and finally bring broadband to the billions who
remain unconnected. For more information, follow AST SpaceMobile on
YouTube, X (Formerly Twitter), LinkedIn and Facebook. Watch this
video for an overview of the SpaceMobile mission.
Forward-Looking Statements
This communication contains “forward-looking statements” that
are not historical facts, and involve risks and uncertainties that
could cause actual results of AST SpaceMobile to differ materially
from those expected and projected. These forward-looking statements
can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology,
including the words “believes,” “estimates,” “anticipates,”
“expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “may,” “will,” “would,” “potential,”
“projects,” “predicts,” “continue,” or “should,” or, in each case,
their negative or other variations or comparable terminology. These
forward-looking statements involve significant risks and
uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ
materially from the expected results. Most of these factors are
outside AST SpaceMobile’s control and are difficult to predict.
Factors that may cause such differences include, but are not
limited to: (i) expectations regarding AST SpaceMobile’s strategies
and future financial performance, including AST’s future business
plans or objectives, expected functionality of the SpaceMobile
Service, anticipated demand and acceptance of mobile satellite
services, prospective performance and commercial opportunities and
competitors, the timing of obtaining regulatory approvals,
anticipated timing of the launch of the Block 2 Bluebird
satellites, ability to finance its research and development
activities, commercial partnership acquisition and retention,
products and services, pricing, marketing plans, operating
expenses, market trends, revenues, liquidity, cash flows and uses
of cash, capital expenditures, and AST’s ability to invest in
growth initiatives; (ii) the negotiation of definitive agreements
with mobile network operators relating to the SpaceMobile service
that would supersede preliminary agreements and memoranda of
understanding and the ability to enter into commercial agreements
with other parties or government entities; (iii) the ability of AST
SpaceMobile to grow and manage growth profitably and retain its key
employees and AST SpaceMobile’s responses to actions of its
competitors and its ability to effectively compete; (iv) changes in
applicable laws or regulations; (v) the possibility that AST
SpaceMobile may be adversely affected by other economic, business,
and/or competitive factors; (vi) the outcome of any legal
proceedings that may be instituted against AST SpaceMobile; and
(vii) other risks and uncertainties indicated in the Company’s
filings with the SEC, including those in the Risk Factors section
of AST SpaceMobile’s Form 10-K filed with the SEC on April 1,
2024.
AST SpaceMobile cautions that the foregoing list of factors is
not exclusive. AST SpaceMobile cautions readers not to place undue
reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as
of the date made. For information identifying important factors
that could cause actual results to differ materially from those
anticipated in the forward-looking statements, please refer to the
Risk Factors incorporated by reference into AST SpaceMobile’s Form
10-K filed with the SEC on April 1, 2024. AST SpaceMobile’s
securities filings can be accessed on the EDGAR section of the
SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Except as expressly required by
applicable securities law, AST SpaceMobile disclaims any intention
or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements
whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise.
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241114979308/en/
Investor: Scott Wisniewski investors@ast-science.com
Media: Allison Eva Murphy Ryan 917-547-7289
ASTSpaceMobile@allisonpr.com
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