- AST SpaceMobile (ASTS, Financial) and Fairwinds Technologies successfully demonstrate the world's first tactical Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) connectivity over standard mobile devices.
- The collaboration included key defense-related use cases, showing real-time connectivity to the Tactical Assault Kit (TAK) over a VPN, multimedia streaming, and secure multi-party video calls.
- This effort is part of the Hybrid Space Architecture 2 initiative by the Defense Innovation Unit, aiming to evaluate space-based communications for secure tactical networks.
AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (ASTS), the company aiming to establish the first space-based cellular broadband network directly accessible by standard smartphones, has announced a successful demonstration of Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) tactical satellite communications. Together with Fairwinds Technologies, AST SpaceMobile conducted a groundbreaking test showcasing high-throughput data, voice, and video communications using unmodified mobile devices.
Participants in the demonstration included representatives from the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, Army, U.S. Space Command, and the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. The field test, held near AST SpaceMobile's gateway facility in Oahu, Hawaii, focused on defense applications such as real-time connectivity to the Tactical Assault Kit (TAK) over a secure VPN, multimedia streaming, and secure multi-party video calls, all executed with standard smartphones.
This collaboration marks a significant step for AST SpaceMobile and Fairwinds Technologies in advancing direct-to-device satellite communications for U.S. government and defense applications. The project is supported by the Defense Innovation Unit's (DIU) Hybrid Space Architecture 2 initiative, aiming to evaluate space-based solutions for resilient and secure tactical networks.
AST SpaceMobile's Chief Commercial and Government Business Officer, Chris Ivory, emphasized the importance of this demonstration in enhancing national security objectives by providing a new layer of mobile connectivity directly from space to standard smartphones. Timothy Hillner, Co-Founder and CTO of Fairwinds Technologies, highlighted the collaborative effort as a pivotal moment for next-generation communications at the tactical edge.
Future prototype demonstrations are planned, including testing in open ocean environments, as the team continues to explore the potential of space-based tactical communications. AST SpaceMobile's mission extends to eliminating connectivity gaps for billions of mobile subscribers worldwide by integrating space technologies with terrestrial mobile networks.
