MIDLAND, TX, August 16, 2021 – AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (“AST SpaceMobile”) (NASDAQ: ASTS), the company building the first and only space-based cellular broadband network accessible directly by standard mobile phones, today provided its business update for the second quarter of 2021.
“Since our public market debut on April 7th, we have made significant industrial, commercial and organizational progress towards delivering the SpaceMobile network,” said Abel Avellan, Chairman and CEO of AST SpaceMobile. “The launch of our next prototype spacecraft, BlueWalker 3, is expected in March 2022. We are also working day and night as we make progress in finalizing the design of our next-generation production spacecraft, BlueBird 1, with investments in our Midland, Texas facilities and global supplier development.”
Abel added, “Today, we are also happy to announce that we are finalizing a Memorandum of Understanding with MTN Group to begin negotiations regarding testing alongside BlueWalker 3 for an initial two countries. We have entered into agreements and understandings with mobile network operators which collectively cover approximately 1.5 billion mobile subscribers.”
Business Highlights
- Confirmed the BlueWalker 3 launch timing with SpaceX from Cape Canaveral during a window beginning March 2022
- Continued investments in the buildout of our Midland, Texas facilities and global supplier development
- Signed Memoranda of Understanding (“MOUs”) with Smart Communications, Africell, MUNI, UT Mobile, LIBTELCO and others
- Increased to approximately 1.5 billion the number of subscribers represented by mobile network operators who have agreements and understandings with AST SpaceMobile as of August 16, 2021, compared to 1.3 billion at March 31, 2021
- Regulatory approval received in 6 countries to date, which countries have a population of over 360 million
- Growth of 62 employees across all offices in the second quarter of 2021, now with a team of 454, including 261 full-time employees, 49 full-time contractors and 144 employees of 3rd party engineering service providers working on AST SpaceMobile
- Opened our UK Office at Space Park Leicester, which will house business development, engineering and regulatory functions
Second Quarter 2021 Financial Highlights
- Ended the second quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $402.6 million and no financial debt as of June 30, 2021
- Total operating expenses of $25.1 million for the second quarter of 2021, compared to $12.1 million in the first quarter of 2021, primarily due to an increase in research and development costs of $8.7 million
- Incurred $51.7 million of capitalized costs, including non-recurring engineering relating to the BlueWalker 3 test satellite, as of August 16, 2021
- Incurred $15.7 million of total investments in property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation, as of June 30, 2021
Conference Call Information
AST SpaceMobile will hold a quarterly business update conference call at 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) today, August 16, 2021. The call will be accessible via a live webcast on the Events page of AST SpaceMobile’s Investor Relations website at https://investors.ast-science.com/. An archive of the webcast will be available shortly after the call.
About AST SpaceMobile
AST SpaceMobile is building the first and only global broadband cellular network in space to operate directly with standard, unmodified mobile devices based on our extensive IP and patent portfolio. Our team of engineers and space scientists is on a mission to eliminate the connectivity gaps faced by today’s five billion mobile subscribers and finally bring broadband to the billions who remain unconnected. Follow AST SpaceMobile on Twitter @AST_SpaceMobile and LinkedIn.For additional information or to be added to our investor relations email alerts list, please visit us at https://investors.ast-science.com/ir-resources/email-alerts.
Forward-Looking Statements
This communication contains “forward-looking statements” that are not historical facts, and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results of AST SpaceMobile to differ materially from those expected and projected. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the words “believes,” “estimates,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “may,” “will,” “would,” “potential,” “projects,” “predicts,” “continue,” or “should,” or, in each case, their negative or other variations or comparable terminology.
These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements concerning AST SpaceMobile’s expectations with respect to future performance and market size.These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from the expected results. Most of these factors are outside AST SpaceMobile’s control and are difficult to predict. Factors that may cause such differences include, but are not limited to: (i) expectations regarding AST SpaceMobile’s strategies and future financial performance, including AST’s future business plans or objectives, expected functionality of the SpaceMobile Service, anticipated timing and level of deployment of satellites, anticipated demand and acceptance of mobile satellite services, prospective performance and commercial opportunities and competitors, the timing of obtaining regulatory approvals, ability to finance its research and development activities, commercial partnership acquisition and retention, products and services, pricing, marketing plans, operating expenses, market trends, revenues, liquidity, cash flows and uses of cash, capital expenditures, and AST’s ability to invest in growth initiatives; (ii) the negotiation of definitive agreements with mobile network operators relating to the SpaceMobile service that would supersede memoranda of understanding; (iii) the ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the business combination, which may be affected by, among other things, competition, the ability of AST SpaceMobile to grow and manage growth profitably and retain its key employees; (iv) changes in applicable laws or regulations; (v) the possibility that AST SpaceMobile may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; (vi) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against AST SpaceMobile; and (vii) other risks and uncertainties indicated in the proxy statement, including those under the section entitled “Risk Factors” in the Definitive Proxy Statement relating to the business combination, and in the Company’s other filings with the SEC.
AST SpaceMobile cautions that the foregoing list of factors is not exclusive. AST SpaceMobile cautions readers not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. For information identifying important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements, please refer to the Risk Factors section of the Definitive Proxy Statement relating to the business combination. AST SpaceMobile’s securities filings can be accessed on the EDGAR section of the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Except as expressly required by applicable securities law, AST SpaceMobile disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Investor Contact:
Scott Wisniewski
investors@ast-science.com
Media Contact:
Brandyn Bissinger
press@ast-science.com
+1 866 845 6521
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