MIDLAND, TX, August 15, 2022 – 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 is providing its business update for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022.
“We are thrilled to be on-site at Cape Canaveral, FL, taking our BlueWalker 3 test satellite through final preparations and continuation of testing for the upcoming planned launch to low Earth Orbit in early to mid-September,” said Abel Avellan, Chairman and CEO of AST SpaceMobile. “Alongside this milestone, the team is hard at work in preparing our Texas headquarters and extension facility for future production of our initial BlueBird satellites.”
Business Highlights
- Completed final assembly, integration, and ground transportation of the BlueWalker 3 test satellite to Cape Canaveral, FL, with an upcoming planned launch window for early to mid-September [1]
- Once BlueWalker 3 is operational following in-orbit testing and configuration, testing is planned with MNOs and equipment providers on all 6 inhabited continents
- Next five satellites are under initial phase of component construction, with most of the design based on similar technology to BlueWalker 3, including FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), reaction wheels and antennas, with launch planned in late 2023
- Commercial agreements in place with suppliers for most components of the next five Block 1 BlueBird satellites and next generation satellites
- Announced a five-year 4G LTE/5G technology agreement with Nokia for the integration of Nokia’s AirScale System, which is planned to be offered as part of SpaceMobile’s MNO infrastructure
- Grew portfolio of patent- and patent-pending claims to more than 2,400 worldwide as of August 15, 2022, compared to more than 2,300 as of May 16, 2022
- Executed a definitive agreement to sell its majority ownership stake in NanoAvionika UAB. The transaction values NanoAvionika UAB at an enterprise valuation of €65 million and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2022, subject to customary closing conditions, including required regulatory review; the Company expects to receive approximately $27 million in net proceeds at closing
[1] The actual launch date remains subject to change and is contingent on a number of factors including, but not limited to testing, timely readiness of the launch vehicle and other unknowns including, but not limited to, weather conditions or technical problems.
Second Quarter 2022 Financial Highlights
- Ended the second quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $202.4 million
- Total operating expenses increased by $2.7 million to $35.4 million for the second quarter of 2022, as compared to $32.7 million in the first quarter of 2022, due to a $1.4 million increase in general and administrative costs, $0.9 million increase in research and development costs, $0.3 million increase in engineering services, and $0.1 million increase in depreciation and amortization
- As of June 30, 2022, the Company incurred $86.6 million of capitalized costs (including launch cost and non-recurring engineering costs) related to the construction and testing of the BlueWalker 3 test satellite
- As of June 30, 2022, the Company capitalized approximately $37.7 million in property and equipment primarily related to the Texas facilities, satellite antennas, test equipment, and leasehold improvements
Conference Call Information
AST SpaceMobile will hold a quarterly business update conference call at 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) today, August 15, 2022. 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 cellular broadband network in space to operate directly with standard, unmodified mobile devices based on our extensive IP and patent portfolio. Our engineers and space scientists are 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. For more information, follow AST SpaceMobile on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. Watch this video for an overview of the SpaceMobile mission.
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 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 preliminary agreements and memoranda of understanding; (iii) the ability of AST SpaceMobile to grow and manage growth profitably and retain its key employees and AST SpaceMobile’s responses to actions of its competitors and its ability to effectively compete; (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 Company’s filings with the SEC, including those in the Risk Factors section of AST SpaceMobile’s Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 31, 2022.
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 incorporated by reference into AST SpaceMobile’s Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 31, 2022. 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.
Second Quarter 2022 Business Update
