AST SpaceMobile & Fairwinds Technologies Demonstrate World’s First Tactical NTN Connectivity Over Standard Mobile Devices

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AST SpaceMobile, Inc. the company building the first and only space-based cellular broadband network accessible directly by everyday smartphones, designed for both commercial and government applications, announced the successful demonstration of the world’s first Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) tactical satellite communications delivering high-throughput data, voice, and video using unmodified mobile devices in collaboration with Fairwinds Technologies (a privately held company).

The field test showcased key defense-related use cases, including real-time connectivity to the Tactical Assault Kit (TAK) over a VPN, multimedia streaming via TAK, and secure multi-party video calls, all executed on standard, unmodified smartphones.

This milestone demonstration was conducted near AST SpaceMobile’s gateway facility on Oahu, Hawaii, with active participation from U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM), including representation 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 (OUSD R&E) FutureG team.

AST SpaceMobile collaborated with Fairwinds Technologies on this demonstration. Fairwinds is a trusted partner providing program integration and military tactical network support as AST SpaceMobile explores direct-to-device satellite communications for U.S. government and defense applications.

This effort follows the recent award by the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) to the Fairwinds/AST SpaceMobile team under the Hybrid Space Architecture 2 initiative within DIU’s Space Portfolio. The project is jointly supported by DIU’s Cyber & Telecom Portfolio and aims to evaluate the viability of space-based direct-to-device communications for resilient, secure tactical networks in denied or austere environments.

“This demonstration represents a significant leap forward in advancing resilient, secure communications capabilities for the U.S. defense community,” said Chris Ivory, Chief Commercial and Government Business Officer at AST SpaceMobile. “We are proud to help enable a new layer of mobile connectivity—directly from space to standard smartphones, with no need for specialized equipment, in support of national security objectives.”

“This is just the beginning,” said Timothy Hillner, Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder of Fairwinds Technologies. “We’re honored to collaborate with AST SpaceMobile and the Defense Innovation Unit to deliver next-generation communications at the tactical edge - precisely where and when they’re needed most. Together, we’re enabling the future of command and control.”

This was the first in a series of planned prototype demonstrations to evaluate space-based mobile broadband for defense applications, with additional testing, including over open ocean environments, planned in the coming months as the team continues to push the boundaries of multi-domain, space-based tactical communications.