AST SpaceMobile and Cadence Collaborate to Advance the World’s First and Only Planned Space-Based Global Cellular Broadband Network

December 03, 2024

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. and AST SpaceMobile, Inc. announced today their collaboration to advance AST SpaceMobile’s mission to eliminate connectivity gaps and connect people around the world with high-speed, space-based internet access.

The two companies collaborated on the AST5000 ASIC, a custom, low-power architecture that is the cornerstone of AST SpaceMobile’s next-generation BlueBird program. Designed to enable up to a tenfold improvement in processing bandwidth on each satellite, the AST5000 ASIC unlocks opportunities for seamless space-based cellular broadband services worldwide.

This innovative chip leverages the most advanced Cadence tools, flows and IP. The Cadence IP, which includes high-speed SerDes and other fundamental IP, enables optimal power and performance tradeoffs for more efficient system designs based on customers’ specific platform requirements, supporting a broad industrial temperature range. Additionally, the Cadence design enablement team achieved optimal power, performance and area (PPA) for the SoC, enhancing the efficiency and functionality of the AST5000 ASIC.

Another key aspect of this collaboration was the use of Cadence’s Palladium® Emulation Platform. Palladium emulation helped validate and refine the IP integration to address and resolve issues during pre-silicon development, ensuring the integrity and performance of the final design.

“Cadence’s collaboration is instrumental in achieving our mission of delivering space-based cellular broadband connectivity,” said Huiwen Yao, chief technology officer at AST SpaceMobile. “Their industry-leading design solutions are fueling our innovation as we succeed at the complex engineering challenges of building a reliable and accessible space-based cellular broadband network.”

“We’re excited to collaborate with AST SpaceMobile on this groundbreaking project and contribute to technology that is redefining satellite and mobile capabilities,” said Boyd Phelps, senior vice president and general manager of the Silicon Solutions Group at Cadence. “Our extensive suite of robust, high-performance AI-driven EDA tools and IP solutions played a crucial role in the development of the AST5000 ASIC, providing a comprehensive solution spanning custom and digital design and verification.”

AST SpaceMobile’s mission to eliminate connectivity gaps and connect people around the world with high-speed, space-based internet access aligns with Cadence’s drive to enable faster and more efficient design cycles, thereby accelerating the path to a connected future. With its planned ASICs and 2,400 sq ft next-generation BlueBird satellite size, AST SpaceMobile expects to support up to 10,000 MHz of processing bandwidth per satellite in the future, with data transmission speeds of up to 120 Mbps, enabling voice calls, full data, and video applications on the first and only space-based cellular broadband network accessible to everyday smartphones.