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AST SpaceMobile Provides Business Update
and First Quarter 2026 Results
Network deployment continues with
next orbital launch in mid-June with
BlueBird 8, BlueBird 9 and BlueBird 10
on a Falcon 9 launch vehicle
Vertical integration reaching
scale with BlueBird 11 through BlueBird
33 in advanced stages of production and
assembly
Achieved 98.9 Mbps peak data
speeds using in-orbit Block 1 BlueBird
satellite over international waters
FCC authorizes commercial
SpaceMobile Service in the United States
with grant of Supplemental Coverage from
Space for direct-to-device broadband
connectivity
MIDLAND,
Texas--(BUSINESS
WIRE)--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,
is providing its business update and
results for the first quarter ended
March 31, 2026.
“AST SpaceMobile is
accelerating manufacturing, regulatory
progress, commercial partnerships, and
government programs, furthering our
position as the only technology
positioned to capture the massive direct
to device broadband opportunity in
full,” commented Abel Avellan, AST
SpaceMobile’s Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer. “BlueBird 8, BlueBird
9, and BlueBird 10 will be launched into
low Earth orbit in mid-June, and we are
in advanced stages of production and
assembly of BlueBird 11 through BlueBird
33.
“Our network deployment for
2026 is targeting approximately 45
satellites in orbit, supported by our
manufacturing cadence and multi-partner
launch strategy,” added Avellan. “We
have a robust global spectrum portfolio,
the industry’s largest global commercial
ecosystem, and a fortress balance sheet,
positioning us for success as we create
the space-based cellular broadband
market.”
Business
Update
-
Network
deployment targeting approximately
45 BlueBird satellites in orbit
during 2026, supported by our
manufacturing cadence and agreements
with multiple launch providers,
including Blue Origin, SpaceX, and
others
-
BlueBird 8, BlueBird 9, and
BlueBird 10 on track for
delivery to Cape Canaveral and
an expected orbital launch in
mid-June on a Falcon 9 launch
vehicle
-
Vertically integrated
production, supported by over
500,000 sq ft of manufacturing
and operations space, is
reaching scale with BlueBird 11
through BlueBird 33 in advanced
stages of production and
assembly and phased arrays
completed through BlueBird 28
-
BlueBird 6 continues to operate
as expected following successful
deployment of the largest-ever
phased array in low Earth orbit
-
Continued
momentum of network deployment and
commercialization efforts across
partner ecosystem ahead of scaled
commercial service activation,
beginning with scaled ground
integration efforts in the United
States, Canada, United Kingdom,
India, Brazil, Spain, Germany,
France, Romania, Saudi Arabia,
Japan, New Zealand, the Philippines,
Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya, Nigeria, and
Senegal, targeting a combined
population of 2.9 billion people
-
FCC grant of Supplemental
Coverage from Space authorizes
provision of commercial
SpaceMobile Service in the
United States for
direct-to-device broadband
connectivity leveraging a
network of up to 248 satellites
-
Commercial partner ecosystem
continues to expand through
agreements with Telus in Canada
in addition to existing partner
Bell Canada and Axian Telecom in
Africa, in addition to existing
partners Vodacom, Orange and MTN
– totaling nearly 60 global
mobile network operator partners
who cover over 3 billion
subscribers
-
New
record achieved with 98.9 Mbps peak
data speeds from in-orbit Block 1
BlueBird satellite directly to an
unmodified smartphone over
international waters
-
Block 2 BlueBird satellite in
orbit today is expected to
nearly double the peak data
speeds recently achieved using
our on-orbit Block 1 BlueBird
satellites
-
Developing AI edge computing and
AI spectrum management features
for on-orbit capabilities, with
BlueBird integration targeted by
year-end
-
On track
to achieve full year 2026 revenue
guidance of $150.0 million to $200.0
million, primarily driven by mobile
network partners and the U.S.
Government
-
First quarter revenue was $14.7
million, consistent with plans
for quarterly revenue ramp
during 2026
-
Approximately half of the full
year 2026 revenue guidance is
expected to be achieved from
existing contracted revenue
backlog
-
Won three new awards since March
2026 with the U.S. Government
through prime contractors, as a
result of successful on-orbit
milestone activities
-
Company
has the key assets – intellectual
property, partnerships, balance
sheet cash, access to shared MNO and
MSS spectrum, over 500,000 square
feet of manufacturing and operations
space globally – to build and launch
over 100 BlueBird satellites to
enable global coverage of
SpaceMobile Service
-
Dedicated micron production
facility in Texas is now fully
operational, with capacity to
support over 10 satellites’
worth of microns per month
-
Innovative technology backed by
shared MNO spectrum, controlled
MSS spectrum, and IP with
approximately 3,900 patent and
patent pending claims
-
Robust balance sheet with
approximately $3.5 billion in
cash, cash equivalents, and
restricted cash as of March 31,
2026
First Quarter
2026 Financial Highlights
-
First quarter revenue of $14.7
million driven by gateway deliveries
and U.S. Government milestones met
-
Total operating expenses for the
first quarter of 2026 were $164.1
million, including $73.0 million of
depreciation and amortization and
stock-based compensation expense.
This represents an increase of $37.5
million as compared to $126.6
million in the fourth quarter of
2025 due to a $37.9 million increase
in engineering services costs, a
$17.4 million increase in general
and administrative costs, and a $1.9
million increase in depreciation and
amortization expense, partially
offset by a $17.8 million decrease
in cost of revenues mainly
attributable to decreased volume of
gateway deliveries and a $1.9
million decrease in research and
development costs
-
Adjusted operating expenses(1) for
the first quarter of 2026 were $91.2
million, a decrease of $4.5 million
as compared to $95.7 million in the
fourth quarter of 2025 due to a
$17.6 million decrease in Adjusted
cost of revenues(1) and a
$1.9 million decrease in research
and development costs, partially
offset by a $9.2 million increase in
Adjusted engineering services costs(1) and
a $5.8 million increase in Adjusted
general and administrative costs(1).
Our Adjusted operating expenses,
excluding Adjusted cost of revenues(1) for
the first quarter of 2026 was $79.8
million, compared to $66.8 million
in the fourth quarter of 2025
-
As of March 31, 2026, we had cash,
cash equivalents, and restricted
cash of approximately $3.5 billion
-
As of March 31, 2026, we had
incurred approximately $1.8 billion
of gross capitalized property and
equipment costs and accumulated
depreciation and amortization of
$191.0 million. The capitalized
costs include costs of satellite
materials for BlueBird satellites,
advance launch payments, capital
advances, Block 1 and BlueWalker 3
satellites, assembly and integration
facilities including assembly and
test equipment, and ground antennas
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