ASTS

Ast Spacemobile, Inc.

A maker of space-based cellular broadband, AST SpaceMobile is building a network of satellites that connect ordinary, unmodified smartphones directly — no special equipment needed — with partners like AT&T, Verizon, and Vodafone. Founded in 2017 by veteran satellite entrepreneur Abel Avellan, the company grew out of the idea of putting a "cell tower in space" to reach places on Earth that terrestrial towers can't cover. Its prototype BlueWalker 3 satellite deployed one of the largest commercial antennas ever launched into low Earth orbit, becoming so bright and reflective that it briefly stood out in the night sky.