693-square foot array on Blue Walker 3
successfully completed deployment
AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (“AST SpaceMobile”) (NASDAQ: ASTS), the
company building the first and only space-based cellular broadband
network accessible directly by standard mobile phones, announced
today that it had successfully completed deployment of the
communications array for its test satellite, BlueWalker 3 (“BW3”),
in orbit.
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the full release here:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221114005574/en/
693-square foot array on Blue Walker 3
successfully completed deployment. (Photo: Business Wire)
BW3 is the largest-ever commercial communications array deployed
in low Earth orbit and is designed to communicate directly with
cellular devices via 3GPP standard frequencies at 5G speeds. Now
that it has been unfolded, the satellite spans 693 square feet in
size, a design feature critical to support a space-based cellular
broadband network. The satellite is expected to have a field of
view of over 300,000 square miles on the surface of the Earth.
The unfolding of BW3 was made possible by years of R&D,
testing and operational preparation. AST SpaceMobile has a
portfolio of more than 2,400 patent and patent-pending claims
supporting its space-based cellular broadband technology.
Additional details on the BlueWalker 3 mission can be seen in this
video.
“Every person should have the right to access cellular
broadband, regardless of where they live or work. Our goal is to
close the connectivity gaps that negatively impact billions of
lives around the world,” said Abel Avellan, Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer of AST SpaceMobile. “The successful unfolding of
BlueWalker 3 is a major step forward for our patented space-based
cellular broadband technology and paves the way for the ongoing
production of our BlueBird satellites.”
AST SpaceMobile has agreements and understandings with mobile
network operators (“MNOs”) globally that have over 1.8 billion
existing subscribers, including a mutual exclusivity with Vodafone
in 24 countries. Interconnecting with AST SpaceMobile’s planned
network will allow MNOs, including Vodafone Group, Rakuten Mobile,
AT&T, Bell Canada, MTN Group, Orange, Telefonica, Etisalat,
Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, Smart Communications, Globe Telecom,
Millicom, Smartfren, Telecom Argentina, Telstra, Africell, Liberty
Latin America and others, the ability to offer extended cellular
broadband coverage to their customers who live, work and travel in
areas with poor or non-existent cell coverage, with the goal of
eliminating dead zones with cellular broadband from space.
“We want to close coverage gaps in our markets, particularly in
territories where terrain makes it extremely challenging to reach
with a traditional ground-based network. Our partnership with AST
SpaceMobile – connecting satellite directly to conventional mobile
devices – will help in our efforts to close the digital divide,”
said Luke Ibbetson, Head of Group R&D, Vodafone and an AST
SpaceMobile director.
Tareq Amin, CEO of Rakuten Mobile and Rakuten Symphony and an
AST SpaceMobile director, added “Our mission is to democratize
access to mobile connectivity: That is why we are so excited about
the potential of AST SpaceMobile to support disaster-readiness and
meet our goal of 100% geographical coverage to our customers in
Japan. I look forward not only to testing BW3 on our world-leading
cloud-native network in Japan, but also working with AST
SpaceMobile on integrating our virtualized radio network technology
to help bring connectivity to the world.”
Chris Sambar, President – Network, AT&T, added “We’re
excited to see AST SpaceMobile reach this significant milestone.
AT&T’s core mission is connecting people to greater
possibilities on the largest wireless network in America. Working
with AST SpaceMobile, we believe there is a future opportunity to
even further extend our network reach including to otherwise remote
and off-grid locations.”
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. 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, 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 timing and level of deployment of satellites,
anticipated demand and acceptance of mobile satellite services,
prospective performance and commercial opportunities and
competitors, the timing of obtaining regulatory approvals, 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; (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 March 31,
2022.
The planned testing of the BW3 test satellite may not be
completed due to a variety of factors, which could include loss of
satellite connectivity, destruction of the satellite, or other
communication failures, and even if completed as planned, the BW3
testing may indicate adjustments that are needed or modifications
that must be made, any of which could result in additional costs,
which could be material, and delays in commercializing our service.
If there are delays or issues with our testing, it may become more
costly to raise capital, if we are able to do so at all.
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 March 31, 2022. 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.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221114005574/en/
Investor Contact: Scott Wisniewski
investors@ast-science.com
Media Contact: Brandyn Bissinger press@ast-science.com +1
866 845 6521
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