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AST SpaceMobile

Public (NASDAQ: ASTS)Founded 2017🇺🇸Midland, Texas
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CEO

Abel Avellan

Data verified as of Aug 15, 2026

Summary

AST SpaceMobile is building a direct-to-cell satellite network designed to connect standard smartphones to space-based 4G and 5G service without special hardware. After proving the concept with BlueWalker 3 and launching BlueBird 1-6, the company reached 13 satellites in orbit on August 5, 2026 with the successful launch of BlueBird 11, 12 and 13, following the June 17, 2026 launch of BlueBird 8, 9 and 10. The company counts nearly 60 mobile-network-operator partners covering more than 3 billion subscribers and reported its first meaningful revenue from gateway deliveries, MNO milestones, and government work. In April 2026 the FCC granted AST commercial Supplemental Coverage from Space authority for a constellation of up to 248 satellites - its first U.S. operating license for direct-to-device service - and on August 4, 2026 AST told the FCC it had begun its first commercial service outside the US, direct-to-cell in Japan with Rakuten Mobile. BlueBird 7 was lost after an April 2026 New Glenn upper-stage issue, and on July 15, 2026 AST pushed continuous US commercial service from late 2026 to early 2027 as launch-vehicle disruptions thinned its near-term access to orbit; the company has since ramped manufacturing to as many as six fully equipped satellites per month across two Midland, Texas sites, and in early August 2026 Guinness World Records recognized its Block 2 phased array as the largest commercial communications array ever deployed in low Earth orbit. On August 6, 2026 AST said it had expanded network integration testing, subject to regulatory approvals, across eight European countries with Vodafone, Orange, Telefonica, Deutsche Telekom and Vodafone Ukraine, using the carrier-neutral ground infrastructure of Satellite Connect Europe, its Luxembourg-based joint venture with Vodafone. At its August 10, 2026 Q2 business update, AST reported $31.5M of quarterly revenue (more than double Q1 2026) and a $230.9M GAAP net loss driven largely by a $125.9M loss on involuntary conversion tied to the BlueBird 7 de-orbit, while its contracted revenue backlog grew to about $1.3B and the company disclosed three additional U.S. government awards worth over $100M of near-term funded value across 2026-2027; full-year 2026 revenue guidance of $150M-$200M was reaffirmed. Executives said the company has 10 launches booked across two providers and is not relying on Blue Origin's New Glenn to reach its ~45-satellite early-2027 target. On August 11, 2026 AST told the FCC it would begin UK direct-to-cell operations with Vodafone 'imminently', and on August 14, 2026 the FCC granted it a 30-day special temporary authority to test Supplemental Coverage from Space service over 800 MHz spectrum on up to 100 devices.

Company OverviewRead the long-form profile of AST SpaceMobile

Main Products

BlueBird Constellation

BlueBird Constellation

In Development

Space-based cellular broadband network using BlueBird satellites with massive phased array antennas (up to ~2,400 sq ft on Block 2 satellites). Connects directly to standard, unmodified 4G LTE and 5G smartphones - no special handset required. Block 2 satellites (starting with BlueBird 6) weigh ~6,100 kg and can deliver up to 120 Mbps. The full constellation of ~90 satellites will provide continuous global coverage, eliminating cellular dead zones worldwide.

13 satellites are currently in orbit after the August 5, 2026 SpaceX Falcon 9 launch of BlueBird 11, 12 and 13, following the June 17, 2026 launch of BlueBird 8, 9 and 10, with BlueBird 1-5 enabling non-continuous service tests and BlueBird 6 validating the larger Block 2 architecture (BlueBird 7 was deorbited following an April launch-vehicle insertion anomaly). AST can now build up to six BlueBirds per month and has BlueBird 14-42 in production/assembly. The roughly-45-satellite target slipped from end of 2026 to early 2027 per AST's July 15, 2026 disclosure.

Satellites in Orbit13 (BlueBird 11-13 launched Aug 5, 2026)
Target Constellation~90 for continuous coverage in key markets; FCC-licensed for up to 248 satellites
Block 2 Antenna Size~2,400 sq ft
Max Speed (Block 2)Up to 120 Mbps
Orbital Altitude~500–527 km

What's Next

Sustain launch cadence toward ~45 satellites

With BlueBird 11, 12 and 13 successfully launched August 5, 2026 (bringing the in-orbit fleet to 13 satellites), the next milestone is getting BlueBird 14, 15 and 16 - nearing shipment as of AST's August 10, 2026 Q2 update - into orbit, with production advanced through BlueBird 42. On July 15, 2026 AST disclosed that launch-vehicle disruptions - chiefly a late-June New Glenn upper-stage explosion that thinned near-term access to orbit - pushed the roughly-45-satellite milestone from end of 2026 to early 2027, sliding the continuous-coverage timeline with it.

~45 satellites by early 2027 (slipped from end-2026)

Turn on continuous US commercial direct-to-device service

Convert the FCC's April 22, 2026 commercial authorization - covering a 248-satellite constellation and direct-to-device operation on AT&T, Verizon, and FirstNet low-band spectrum - into paying US service. On July 15, 2026 AST deferred continuous commercial service from late 2026 to early 2027, after launch-vehicle disruptions - chiefly a late-June New Glenn upper-stage explosion - thinned its near-term access to orbit. It still needs 45 to 60 operational BlueBirds to move from intermittent to continuous coverage across the US, Europe, and Japan, with AT&T preparing a beta and revenue expected to approach $1 billion once the network is live.

Early 2027

Launch Canadian commercial service with TELUS

Begin text, voice, and data coverage in remote Canadian regions through the TELUS partnership - TELUS has both a commercial agreement and a direct equity stake in AST - using standard smartphones and TELUS-backed ground infrastructure, with service targeted for late 2026. Fellow Canadian partner Bell completed and integration-tested its first sovereign direct-to-device ground station in Quebec on July 15, 2026 (targeting a 2027 launch), underscoring the buildout of Canadian ground infrastructure feeding these launches. As of AST's Aug 10, 2026 Q2 update the late-2026 target is unchanged and has not been re-dated.

Late 2026

Begin UK direct-to-cell operations with Vodafone

Convert Ofcom's non-commercial Demonstration & Trial Licence (issued to Vodafone July 24, 2026, running through September 30, 2026) into live UK direct-to-cell testing. AST told the FCC on August 11, 2026 that it would begin operations 'imminently' after completing interference assessments, using Vodafone's licensed 880.1-885.1/925.1-930.1 MHz spectrum and gateways including Goonhilly Downs - though no commercial-service date has been set, and the underlying Ofcom licence does not itself authorize commercial use.

Imminent (trial window runs through Sep 30, 2026)

Run FCC-authorized 800 MHz supplemental-coverage test

Use the 30-day FCC special temporary authority granted August 14, 2026 to test Supplemental Coverage from Space service over the 817-824 MHz uplink and 862-869 MHz downlink bands on up to 100 commercial devices - the experimental test AST had told the FCC in July it planned to file for on the 800 MHz spectrum the agency cleared Grain Management to acquire from T-Mobile. A successful test would open a second US low-band spectrum path alongside AST's existing AT&T/Verizon/FirstNet coordination.

By mid-September 2026 (30-day authority)

Scale Japan D2C service to nationwide coverage

AST's first international commercial direct-to-cell service went live August 4, 2026 when the company notified the FCC it had initiated active D2C operations in Japan with Rakuten Mobile on Rakuten's 700 MHz spectrum. The remaining goal is to grow that limited 2026 service into nationwide Japanese coverage in fiscal 2027, backed by up to $926M in Japanese government subsidies announced in June 2026 and the planned 50/50 Rakuten-AST joint venture.

Nationwide in FY2027

Evaluate vertical integration into launch capacity

AST disclosed alongside its July 2026 $1B+ convertible-note raise that proceeds could fund 'partnerships and/or acquisitions to further vertically integrate its business and mitigate risks associated with third-party launch providers' - language analysts read as AST following Rocket Lab's playbook toward owning or investing in a launch provider. The company said it had no understandings or agreements in place as of mid-July 2026; whether this converts into an actual deal is unresolved.

Unspecified

Convert defense wins into task orders (HALO Europa + SHIELD)

Deliver SDA's Europa Track 2 demonstration using AST's commercial satellites for tactical direct-to-device communications, and begin competing for task orders under the Missile Defense Agency's SHIELD / 'Golden Dome' IDIQ prime position won in January 2026 - establishing AST SpaceMobile USA as a repeatable defense contractor. At its August 10, 2026 Q2 update AST disclosed three additional government awards worth over $100M of combined near-term funded value across 2026-2027 and said it expects government business to grow into a recurring multi-billion-dollar annual opportunity starting in 2027; the SDA Europa demonstration remains due by December 2027.

By Dec 2027

Close Ligado L-band spectrum transaction pending FCC approval

AST's subsidiaries agreed in early 2025 to take long-term access to up to 40 MHz of L-band mobile satellite services spectrum in the US and Canada plus 5 MHz of adjacent spectrum, as part of Ligado Networks' Chapter 11 restructuring (bankruptcy court confirmed the plan September 29, 2025). AST would pay Ligado about $550M upon FCC approval plus warrants and $80M in annual lease payments. Ligado's FCC modification request remains pending, opposed by Iridium over interference-coordination concerns, with AST filing in support.

Unspecified (pending FCC decision)

Track Record

1 of 1 announced date hit

Launch first international (Japan) direct-to-cell service in 2026

Target 2026 · Resolved Aug 4, 2026

AST SpaceMobile notified the FCC on August 4, 2026 that it had initiated active direct-to-cell service operations in Japan with Rakuten Mobile on Rakuten's 700 MHz spectrum - AST's first commercial service activation outside the US, well within the 2026 target window. Nationwide Japanese coverage remains targeted for fiscal 2027.

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Recent News

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Operations & Revenue

StatusActive

13 satellites are in orbit after the August 5, 2026 SpaceX Falcon 9 launch of BlueBird 11, 12 and 13, following the June 17, 2026 launch of BlueBird 8, 9 and 10 (AST's first multi-satellite mission) and the April 2026 loss of BlueBird 7. BlueBird 1-5 support non-continuous coverage tests and BlueBird 6 validates the larger Block 2 architecture. AST has ramped manufacturing to up to six BlueBirds per month across two Midland, Texas sites, with BlueBird 14-16 already preparing for the next mission and production advancing through BlueBird 42; the roughly-45-satellite milestone, originally targeted for end of 2026, slipped to early 2027 per AST's July 15, 2026 disclosure of launch-vehicle disruptions. AST's first commercial service outside the US went live August 4, 2026, when it told the FCC it had begun direct-to-cell operations in Japan with Rakuten Mobile.

Revenue Streams

MNO Revenue Sharing

Gateway hardware, software, milestone payments, and future service revenue from carrier partners such as AT&T, Verizon, Vodafone, and other mobile network operators extending coverage with direct-to-cell satellite service. Backed by about $1.3B of aggregate contracted revenue commitments from commercial partners and U.S. government awards, up from ~$1.2B at Q1 2026.

Government & Defense

Prototype contracts, milestone payments, and follow-on opportunities with U.S. defense and government customers using AST's dual-use BlueBird constellation for resilient tactical communications. AST holds an SDA $30M HALO Europa prototype agreement and, since January 2026, a prime contract position on the Missile Defense Agency's SHIELD IDIQ - the vehicle behind the 'Golden Dome' architecture. At its Aug 10, 2026 Q2 call the company disclosed three additional government awards worth over $100M of near-term funded value across 2026-2027 and said management expects government business could supply roughly half of its near-term ~$1B annual revenue target.

Enterprise Direct Connectivity

Remote-area voice, messaging, and broadband sold through operator partners for customers that need coverage beyond terrestrial towers, including field operations, travel, and emergency response.

Key Metrics

Employees

2,250+

Est. Annual Revenue

$150M-$200M guided for 2026, reaffirmed at the Aug 10, 2026 Q2 business update call (Q2 2026: $31.5M, more than double Q1's $14.7M; ~$1.3B contracted backlog), with upside from initial commercial service revenue

Satellites in Orbit

13 (BlueWalker 3 + BlueBird 1-6, 8-13) after the Aug 5, 2026 launch of BlueBird 11, 12 and 13

MNO Partners

~60 (3B+ subscribers) - reaffirmed at the Aug 10, 2026 Q2 business update

U.S. Commercial Authorization

FCC SCS license for up to 248 satellites (124 by Aug 2030, full by Aug 2033); also holds a 30-day FCC special temporary authority (granted Aug 14, 2026) to test 800 MHz SCS service on up to 100 devices

Manufacturing Cadence

Up to 6 BlueBirds/month (two Midland, TX sites); BlueBird 14-16 in final testing and BlueBird 17-46 in various production stages as of the Aug 10, 2026 Q2 update

Satellites in Production

BlueBird 14-16 nearing shipment for the next launch; production advancing through BlueBird 42 (BB11-13 already in orbit)

Q2 2026 Revenue

$31.5M (more than double Q1 2026), against a $230.9M GAAP net loss ($0.77/share) including a $125.9M loss on involuntary conversion tied to the BlueBird 7 de-orbit

2026 Revenue Guidance

$150M-$200M (reaffirmed at the Aug 10, 2026 Q2 business update call; backed by a contracted revenue backlog of about $1.3B, up from ~$1.2B at Q1)

Defense Programs

MDA SHIELD prime (Golden Dome IDIQ, awarded Jan 2026) + SDA $30M HALO Europa prototype (awarded Feb 2026), plus three additional U.S. government awards disclosed Aug 10, 2026 worth over $100M of combined near-term funded value across 2026-2027

Cash & Liquidity

Pro forma cash, equivalents & restricted cash above $3.8B (Jun 30, 2026), after the $1.15B convertible-note raise closed July 21, 2026

Timeline

2026Raises $1.075B of new convertible notes

In February 2026 AST issues $1.075B of 2.25% convertible senior notes due 2036 (including a $75M greenshoe) to fund constellation deployment, U.S. government opportunities, debt reduction, and opportunistic investments.

2026Wins first AST-led SDA prime contract

On February 22, 2026 the Space Development Agency awards AST SpaceMobile USA a $30M firm-fixed-price HALO Europa Track 2 prototype agreement - the company's first prime contract - to demonstrate tactical direct-to-device SATCOM (TACSATCOM) using AST's commercial space vehicles, with demonstrations to be completed by December 2027.

2026Wins MDA SHIELD prime slot under Golden Dome

On January 16, 2026, AST SpaceMobile announces it was awarded a prime contract position on the U.S. Missile Defense Agency's Scalable Homeland Innovative Enterprise Layered Defense (SHIELD) program - the indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity vehicle underpinning the broader 'Golden Dome' missile-defense architecture. The award lets AST compete directly for task orders spanning research, development, engineering, prototyping, and operations of MDA systems, validating its dual-use, space-based direct-to-device technology for national-security missions.

2026TELUS signs Canada commercial agreement

On March 3, 2026 TELUS signs a commercial agreement to bring AST's direct-to-cell service across Canada, investing in ground infrastructure and becoming an equity shareholder, with text, voice, and data service targeted for late 2026.

2026FCC grants commercial direct-to-device authorization for 248-satellite constellation

On April 21, 2026 the FCC issues an order authorizing AST SpaceMobile to deploy a constellation of up to 248 satellites and to provide commercial Supplemental Coverage from Space (SCS) - direct-to-device cellular broadband to unmodified smartphones - across the United States using terrestrial low-band (700/800 MHz) spectrum coordinated with Verizon, AT&T and FirstNet. The license requires AST to launch at least half the constellation (124 satellites) by August 2, 2030 and the full network by August 2, 2033, marking AST's first U.S. commercial operating authority.

2026BlueBird 7 lost after New Glenn insertion anomaly

Blue Origin's third New Glenn mission reuses and lands its booster, but places AST's BlueBird 7 satellite into a lower-than-planned orbit; AST says the satellite will be deorbited and that BlueBird 8-10 remain the next launch candidates.

2026Sets June 17 launch for BlueBird 8-10; production ramps to six/month

On June 9, 2026 AST announces that BlueBird 8, 9 and 10 will launch together on a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral on June 17, 2026 - its first multi-satellite mission. The company says it can now build up to six fully equipped BlueBirds per month across two Midland, Texas sites, with BlueBird 11-33 in advanced production and phased arrays completed through BlueBird 28.

2026Successfully launches BlueBird 8, 9 and 10

On June 17, 2026 AST successfully launches BlueBird 8, 9 and 10 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral, with the upper stage deploying all three into low Earth orbit about an hour after liftoff - its first multi-satellite mission and a recovery from the April BlueBird 7 loss. The next-generation satellites carry the largest commercial communications arrays ever deployed in LEO (~2,400 sq ft each), quadrupling AST's next-gen in-orbit fleet and bringing the company to 10 satellites in orbit.

2026Japan clears 700 MHz band for AST-Rakuten direct-to-cell

On June 24, 2026 a subcommittee of Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications Information and Communications Council approved a recommendation allowing direct low-Earth-orbit satellite-to-smartphone connectivity over the 700 MHz band that Rakuten already uses for terrestrial mobile. Japan is expected to revise the related ministerial ordinances in September, clearing a path for Rakuten and AST to launch service, with a phased rollout beginning late 2026 and nationwide coverage targeted in fiscal 2027. Rakuten CEO Hiroshi Mikitani said the two will form a 50/50 satellite joint venture this year, with Rakuten leading management.

2026Japan to back Rakuten-AST network with up to $926M in subsidies

Reporting on June 29, 2026 revealed that Japan's government is set to provide up to 150 billion yen (about $926 million) over three years to the Rakuten-led consortium building a homegrown low-Earth-orbit network using AST SpaceMobile's direct-to-smartphone technology. The funding targets equipment procurement, ground facilities and the systems needed to launch and control the constellation, reinforcing the planned 50/50 Rakuten-AST joint venture aimed at limited service in 2026 and nationwide coverage in fiscal 2027. AST SpaceMobile shares jumped roughly 21% on the news, their best day in nearly two years.

2026FCC clears T-Mobile/Grain 800 MHz swap AST says it can use now

On July 1, 2026 the FCC approved a swap in which Grain Management acquires T-Mobile's 800 MHz licenses (T-Mobile receiving Grain's 600 MHz holdings plus $2.9B in cash), with conditions letting Grain partner with direct-to-device satellite operators. AST SpaceMobile told the FCC it is 'well-positioned to put the 800 MHz spectrum into use now,' saying its 10 in-orbit satellites can already use the band, more than 80% of its Block 2 satellites in production support it, and it plans to file an experimental application to test it - a potential second low-band spectrum path alongside its existing AT&T/Verizon/FirstNet coordination.

2026Vodafone Ireland runs Europe's first satellite emergency-services call

On July 2, 2026 Vodafone Ireland - through Satellite Connect Europe, its joint venture with AST SpaceMobile - and Ireland's Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) completed a live mission-critical emergency-services call over AST's constellation from Clare Island, County Mayo, to standard smartphones. Described as a first of its kind in Europe, the trial demonstrated that direct-to-device satellite connectivity can keep 999/112 and blue-light services reachable when terrestrial networks are down.

2026Prices $1.0B of convertible notes due 2034

On July 15, 2026 AST SpaceMobile priced a private offering of $1.0 billion of 1.625% convertible senior notes due 2034, with an initial conversion price of about $79.57 per share, a capped-call cap near $149.20, and a 13-day option for initial purchasers to buy up to $150 million more; settlement was expected around July 20. The company said it would use proceeds to fund growth initiatives and secure additional access to orbit for its BlueBird constellation. ASTS shares fell more than 17% on the added dilution - a reversal from earlier 2026 financings that had lifted the stock.

2026Bell completes first Canadian D2D satellite ground station

On July 15, 2026 Bell Canada announced it had completed construction of its first sovereign direct-to-device satellite ground station, in Québec, and had passed integration testing - text, broadband data, and voice and video calls on standard smartphones - connecting to AST SpaceMobile's constellation. Bell is building additional ground stations in Ontario, Alberta, and Newfoundland and Labrador and is targeting a space-based cellular service launch in 2027.

2026Midland approves $66M incentive for larger satellite factory

On July 21, 2026 the Midland Development Corporation and Midland City Council approved a performance-based incentive of up to $66 million over 30 years to support a new AST SpaceMobile satellite manufacturing facility of at least 400,000 sq ft - roughly five times the size of its existing Midland plant - next to its Spaceport Business Park operations. At full buildout the project targets about 1,800 jobs, $144 million in annual payroll and up to $150 million in taxable capital investment, with the city projecting $116 million in property-tax revenue; the deal excludes property and sales-tax abatements. ASTS shares rose about 12% on the news.

2026Sets August 5 launch date for BlueBird 11, 12 and 13

On July 28, 2026 AST SpaceMobile announced that BlueBird 11, 12 and 13 - already shipped to Cape Canaveral - are targeted to launch together on a SpaceX Falcon 9 on August 5, 2026, with liftoff planned for 3:42 a.m. ET (a backup opportunity at 5:10 a.m.). The company said BlueBird 14, 15 and 16 are already preparing for the next mission and that production has advanced through BlueBird 42.

2026Closes upsized $1.15B convertible notes; pro forma cash tops $3.8B

On July 21, 2026 AST SpaceMobile announced completion of its private offering of convertible senior notes due 2034, with initial purchasers exercising their full $150M option to bring the total to $1.15B (up from the $1.0B priced on July 15). The company said the raise pushed pro forma cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash above $3.8B as of June 30, 2026, extending runway for the 2026 manufacturing and launch campaign.

2026Commences direct-to-cell service in Japan with Rakuten

On August 4, 2026 AST SpaceMobile notified the FCC that it has initiated active direct-to-cell service operations in Japan with Rakuten Mobile on Rakuten's 700 MHz spectrum - AST's first commercial service activation outside the United States. The company said all required Japanese authorizations, including a user-equipment license from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, had been secured; Rakuten still expects only limited coverage in 2026, with nationwide service targeted for fiscal 2027.

2026BlueBird array earns Guinness World Record for largest commercial LEO array

In early August 2026 AST SpaceMobile announced that Guinness World Records recognized its Block 2 BlueBird phased-array antenna - nearly 2,400 sq ft, surpassing the ~693 sq ft first-generation BlueBirds - as the largest commercial communications array ever deployed in low Earth orbit. The company called the record 'an American breakthrough in space engineering,' pointing to the arrays' Texas manufacturing.

2026Successfully launches BlueBird 11, 12 and 13

On August 5, 2026 AST SpaceMobile successfully launched BlueBird 11, 12 and 13 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral, with liftoff at 3:42 a.m. EDT. The launch brings AST's in-orbit constellation to 13 satellites and follows the June 17, 2026 launch of BlueBird 8, 9 and 10; BlueBird 14, 15 and 16 are already preparing for the next mission.

2026Expands European integration testing across eight countries

On August 6, 2026 AST SpaceMobile said network integration testing with its space-based cellular broadband service, subject to regulatory approvals, is underway across the UK, Ireland, Romania, France, the Czech Republic, Germany, Spain and Ukraine, in collaboration with Vodafone, Orange, Telefonica, Deutsche Telekom and Vodafone Ukraine. The testing runs on the carrier-neutral gateway infrastructure of Satellite Connect Europe, AST's Luxembourg-headquartered joint venture with Vodafone.

2026Reports Q2 2026 results: revenue doubles, backlog grows to $1.3B

At its August 10, 2026 business update call, AST SpaceMobile reported $31.5M of Q2 2026 revenue - more than double Q1 - against a $230.9M GAAP net loss ($0.77/share) that included a $125.9M loss on involuntary conversion tied to the BlueBird 7 de-orbit. The company said its contracted revenue backlog grew to about $1.3B, reaffirmed full-year 2026 revenue guidance of $150M-$200M, and disclosed three additional U.S. government awards worth over $100M of combined near-term funded value across 2026-2027.

2026Tells FCC UK direct-to-cell service with Vodafone is imminent

In an August 11, 2026 FCC filing, AST SpaceMobile said it would begin UK direct-to-cell operations with Vodafone 'imminently' after securing the necessary authorizations and completing interference assessments. The filing names Vodafone's licensed 880.1-885.1 MHz uplink and 925.1-930.1 MHz downlink spectrum, backhauled through gateways including Goonhilly Downs, and points to Ofcom's Demonstration & Trial Licence 1418602/1 (issued to Vodafone on July 24, 2026, running through September 30, 2026) - a non-commercial trial authorization, not a commercial-service date. AST committed to deactivate beams if verified harmful interference occurs.

2026FCC grants 30-day special temporary authority to test 800 MHz spectrum

The FCC granted AST SpaceMobile a 30-day special temporary authority to test its Supplemental Coverage from Space service over the 817-824 MHz uplink and 862-869 MHz downlink bands using up to 100 commercially available devices. The spectrum is part of the 800 MHz portfolio the FCC cleared Grain Management to acquire from T-Mobile on July 1, 2026 - a swap AST had told the FCC it was 'well-positioned to put... into use now.'

2025BlueBird 6 launched; $2.6B+ raised

Launches BlueBird 6 on December 23, 2025 - the largest commercial communications array ever deployed in LEO. Google invests $203.3M. stc group signs 10-year agreement with $175M prepayment. Raises $1.575B in convertible notes across two offerings. Total liquidity reaches $3.9B.

2025Expands U.S. manufacturing and doubles workforce to 1,800+

On November 25, 2025 AST SpaceMobile announces two new production facilities - one in Midland, Texas and one in Homestead, Florida - bringing its Texas footprint to five sites and its total manufacturing footprint to about 500,000 sq ft, while doubling its U.S. headcount to more than 1,800 employees to accelerate next-generation BlueBird production toward a cadence of up to six satellites per month.

2024BlueBird 1-5 launched; major partnerships secured

Launches first 5 commercial BlueBird satellites on September 12, 2024. Secures $100M Verizon partnership and Vodafone commercial contract through 2034.

2023First space-based call to unmodified smartphone

Achieves the first-ever two-way voice call from space to a standard, unmodified smartphone on April 25, 2023 - a historic milestone for direct-to-cell satellite communications.

2022BlueWalker 3 prototype launched

Launches BlueWalker 3, a prototype satellite with a massive 64 sq meter phased array antenna, on September 10, 2022. The satellite successfully deploys the largest commercial communications array ever in LEO.

2021IPO via SPAC merger

AST SpaceMobile goes public through a SPAC merger with New Providence Acquisition Corp, raising $462M. Trades on NASDAQ under ticker ASTS.

2017Founded by Abel Avellan

Abel Avellan founds AST SpaceMobile with the goal of building a space-based cellular network that works with standard smartphones, eliminating coverage dead zones worldwide.

Funding

Cumulative disclosed raise · dated rounds

$2B$4B$6B2020202220242026$5.3B raised
RoundDateAmountInvestorsSource
Series BMar 2020$110MVodafone, Rakuten
SPAC IPOApr 2021$462MNew Providence Acquisition Corp
Strategic InvestmentJan-May 2024$145MAT&T, Google, Vodafone, Verizon
Convertible NotesJan 2025$460MInstitutional investors
Google Investment + Convertible NotesJul 2025$778.3MGoogle ($203.3M), institutional investors ($575M)
Convertible NotesOct 2025$1.15BInstitutional investors
Convertible NotesFeb 2026$1.075B (2.25% notes due 2036)Institutional investors
Convertible NotesJul 2026$1.15B (1.625% notes due 2034; upsized from $1.0B after initial purchasers exercised the full $150M greenshoe; capped-call effective conversion ~$149.20)Institutional investors

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Satellite Mega-Constellations +1

Blue Origin is a privately held aerospace company founded by Jeff Bezos that develops reusable launch vehicles, rocket engines, lunar landers, in-space mobility systems, and satellite communications infrastructure. Its current programs span the New Shepard suborbital system, the New Glenn heavy-lift rocket, the BE-4 engine family that also powers ULA's Vulcan, the Blue Moon lunar lander family, the Blue Ring spacecraft platform, and the TeraWave network. The FAA closed its NG-3 mishap investigation and lifted the New Glenn grounding on May 22, 2026 - pinning the BlueBird 7 deployment failure on a cryogenic leak that froze a hydraulic line - but six days later, on May 28, a New Glenn exploded during a hotfire at Cape Canaveral's LC-36, destroying the transporter-erector at Blue Origin's only New Glenn pad. CEO Dave Limp said the rocket will fly again before year-end via a hybrid horizontal-integration/crane-erect path that skips replacing the destroyed transporter-erector, with the propellant farm, a second flight-ready booster, and three upper stages intact; on July 24, 2026 NASA and Blue Origin agreed to conduct New Glenn second-stage (GS2) hot fire testing at Stennis Space Center's B-2 stand beginning this fall while LC-36 recovers, and NASA's Pegasus barge is due at Kennedy Space Center around August 10-12, 2026 to carry the completed GS2 to Stennis. The Blue Moon MK1 'Endurance' cargo lunar lander has completed thermal vacuum testing at NASA Johnson, but with New Glenn grounded its launch to the Moon has slipped from a fall-2026 target to early 2027. Separately, a February 2026 NASA Artemis architecture overhaul reassigned the crewed Blue Moon Mark 2 lander to compete with SpaceX's Starship for the program's first Moon landing (now targeted for Artemis IV, as soon as early 2028) following a 2027 crewed low-Earth-orbit docking test on the restructured Artemis III. In a landmark shift after 26 years of near-total self-funding (roughly $30B cumulative), Blue Origin raised about $10B at a $130B valuation in July 2026 - its first-ever outside round, led by Coatue (~$4B) with Jeff Bezos adding ~$2B - to bankroll Limp's target cadence of roughly 100 launches a year against an estimated ~$4.8B 2026 spend.

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CASC

Satellite Mega-Constellations +1

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) is the state-owned prime contractor for China's space program and the world's most prolific launch organization by missions flown. Wholly owned by the central government through SASAC and led by chairman Chen Mingbo, it develops and operates the Long March (Changzheng) rocket family - which flew its 661st cumulative mission on August 4, 2026, delivering a 23rd batch of GuoWang broadband satellites - along with the Shenzhou crewed spacecraft, Tianzhou cargo vehicles, the Tiangong space station, BeiDou navigation and GuoWang broadband satellites, the Chang'e lunar and Tianwen planetary probes, and China's strategic missiles. After a national-record 73 launches in 2025, CASC is targeting over 100 launches in 2026 amid an industry-wide national push toward ~140, debuted the partially reusable Long March 12B in June 2026, and saw its Tianwen-2 probe reach the quasi-moon asteroid Kamo'oalewa on July 6, 2026. On July 10, 2026 it made China the second nation ever to recover an orbital rocket first stage, when the new single-stick, partially reusable Long March 10B flew its maiden mission from Hainan and captured its booster in a sea-based net - a landmark step toward closing the reusability gap with SpaceX, with a reflight of the recovered booster still targeted before the end of 2026. That momentum was interrupted on August 10, 2026, when a Long March 7A broke apart shortly after liftoff and lost its satellite payload - only the vehicle's second failure ever - triggering an engine investigation that put a question mark over the timing of Chang'e 7, still slated for a lunar south pole launch window of August 24-31, 2026 with backup opportunities into October; CASC kept other Long March variants flying through the investigation, with a Long March 5B launching an eighth GuoWang satellite batch on August 13, 2026. CASC is also advancing the triple-core Long March 10 toward a crewed Moon landing before 2030: the Long March 10A's own orbital debut is separately reported to carry a lunar navigation satellite ahead of the uncrewed Mengzhou 1 capsule test, still targeted around September 2026 but flagged in one report as at risk of slipping into early 2027.

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Eutelsat OneWeb

Satellite Mega-Constellations +1

Eutelsat OneWeb is the LEO connectivity business within Eutelsat Group, operating a globally deployed broadband constellation in ~1,200 km orbit. The business combines a 650+ satellite OneWeb network with Eutelsat's GEO fleet to serve government, enterprise, maritime, aviation, and telecom customers. After closing its comprehensive ~EUR 5B equity and debt financing plan in March 2026, Eutelsat reported full-year FY2025-26 results on August 7, 2026: LEO revenue reached EUR 297M (+69.5% YoY), now 25% of group revenue versus about 15% a year earlier, while total group revenue was EUR 1,235.9M and Adjusted EBITDA was EUR 632.4M at a 51.2% margin. The first 100 next-generation OneWeb satellites ordered from Airbus are due for delivery in late 2026, with launches set to begin in 2027. Eutelsat is also one of three core satellite operators in the EU's IRIS2 sovereign constellation program, which completed its first Rendez-Vous (RDV1) execution milestone on August 7, 2026 and was rescaled at the same time to a EUR 15.6B+ program covering 348 satellites (330 LEO plus 18 MEO), up from the original EUR 10.6B, 274-satellite plan.

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K2 Space

Satellite Mega-Constellations +1

K2 Space builds deliberately large satellites at a moment when the rest of the industry is shrinking them, on the argument that power, not mass, is what limits what a spacecraft can do. Its Mega Class bus carries up to 3,000 kg of payload and tens of kilowatts of power for a list price around $15 million, roughly ten times the power of a typical constellation satellite, and its 20 kW krypton Hall-effect thruster is the most powerful electric thruster flown in space. Founded in 2022 by brothers Karan and Neel Kunjur, both former SpaceX engineers, the company flew a subsystem demonstrator called Heritage in January 2025 and launched its first full Mega Class satellite, Gravitas, on March 30, 2026, carrying 12 customer payloads and using its own thruster to climb from low Earth orbit toward medium Earth orbit. In 2026 it went from startup to supplier on three of the biggest programs in the sector: 28 satellites for SES's meoSphere MEO network, Mega Class buses for the Anduril-led space-based interceptor team on Golden Dome, and its first Pentagon program of record as bus provider for the Space Force's Protected Tactical Satcom-Global. A $500 million Series D on July 30, 2026 at a $6.8 billion valuation, more than double the December 2025 mark, funds the move from one satellite at a time to a 180,000 square foot Torrance factory rated at up to 100 large satellites a year.

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Rocket Lab

Satellite Mega-Constellations +1

Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company spanning launch, hypersonic test launch, spacecraft, payloads, satellite components, and now laser optical communications and space robotics. Electron remains the second most frequently launched U.S. rocket - Rocket Lab reached 92 missions with the August 6, 2026 'Grain Goddess' launch of iQPS' QPS-SAR-13 radar satellite, putting it on track for a record year and its 100th launch - and Rocket Lab is developing the medium-lift Neutron rocket for constellation, national-security, and exploration missions, with first launch still targeted for Q4 2026. The company posted record Q1 2026 revenue of $200.3M and backlog above $2.2B, completed the $155.3M Mynaric acquisition in April 2026 to add laser comms and a European footprint, and closed the Motiv Space Systems robotics acquisition in May 2026 to bring Mars-proven robotics in-house. On May 27, 2026 Rocket Lab cleared the System Requirements Review for the Space Development Agency's $816M Tracking Layer Tranche 3 missile-defense constellation, taking total SDA awards above $1.3B, and on June 22, 2026 the company joined the Nasdaq-100 Index. On June 29, 2026 Rocket Lab announced its largest-ever deal - an agreement to acquire satellite-communications operator Iridium Communications for about $8B in cash and stock ($54.00/share, roughly half cash and half Rocket Lab stock), adding an operational 66-satellite L-band constellation, ~2.55M subscribers, $871M of 2025 revenue, and globally harmonized spectrum, with the transaction expected to close in mid-2027. On July 27, 2026 Rocket Lab won its largest launch contract to date, a $266M U.S. Space Force RSLP contract for 12 (plus an option for six more) HASTE suborbital missile-defense launches through 2028, opening a fourth launch pad at Kodiak, Alaska, and three days later Japan's iQPS booked three more dedicated Electron missions, lifting its total Electron bookings to 18. On August 4, 2026 the U.S. Space Force awarded Rocket Lab a $397M contract (with an option for additional units) under the Space-Based Airborne Moving Target Indicator program to build, launch on the still-unflown Neutron rocket, and operate a constellation of 'Flatellite' satellites that track airborne threats in real time - a rare end-to-end win spanning spacecraft, launch, and mission operations. On August 10, 2026 Rocket Lab reported record Q2 2026 revenue of $234M (+62% YoY) and record backlog of $2.36B, guided to another record revenue quarter in Q3 2026, and unveiled GHOST, a containerized Deployable Launch System giving Electron and HASTE launch-anywhere responsive capability, with its first site standing up at Kodiak, Alaska.