Cadence and AST SpaceMobile Join Forces to Advance Space-Based Global Cellular Broadband
Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: CDNS) and AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (Nasdaq: ASTS) have announced a collaboration aimed at revolutionizing global connectivity through space-based cellular broadband. AST SpaceMobile is developing the first and only planned satellite-powered broadband network that can connect directly to standard smartphones, targeting both commercial and government applications. The partnership focuses on bridging connectivity gaps worldwide, ensuring high-speed, reliable internet access through innovative satellite technology.
Groundbreaking AST5000 ASIC: A Cornerstone of Innovation
Central to this collaboration is the development of the AST5000 ASIC, a custom-designed, low-power chip architecture that serves as a critical component of AST SpaceMobile’s next-generation BlueBird satellite program. The AST5000 ASIC facilitates up to a tenfold improvement in processing bandwidth per satellite, a critical advancement in providing seamless, space-based cellular broadband services.
The chip integrates Cadence’s cutting-edge tools, workflows, and intellectual property (IP), including advanced high-speed SerDes technology. This allows for optimal power and performance balance, catering to specific platform requirements while maintaining robust functionality across a wide industrial temperature range. Cadence’s expertise in design optimization further ensured enhanced power, performance, and area (PPA) metrics for the system-on-chip (SoC), increasing the efficiency and capabilities of the AST5000 ASIC.
Advanced Design Validation Through Emulation
To refine and validate the AST5000 ASIC during pre-silicon development, AST SpaceMobile employed Cadence’s Palladium® Emulation Platform. This advanced emulation technology enabled seamless IP integration, troubleshooting, and performance enhancement before the chip entered manufacturing. By resolving potential issues early, the collaboration ensured the ASIC’s reliability and readiness for deployment in the complex environment of space.
Leadership Perspectives
Huiwen Yao, Chief Technology Officer of AST SpaceMobile, emphasized the transformative impact of the partnership:
“Cadence’s collaboration has been instrumental in overcoming the engineering challenges of building a space-based cellular broadband network. Their cutting-edge design tools and solutions have driven innovation in our mission to provide reliable connectivity to underserved regions worldwide.”
Boyd Phelps, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Silicon Solutions Group at Cadence, shared similar enthusiasm:
“We are thrilled to support AST SpaceMobile in redefining satellite and mobile communication. Our AI-driven electronic design automation (EDA) tools and IP solutions have played a pivotal role in creating the AST5000 ASIC, enabling faster, more efficient design cycles that push the boundaries of satellite technology.”
Pioneering a Connected Future
AST SpaceMobile’s groundbreaking efforts aim to address global connectivity challenges by deploying the first space-based cellular broadband network accessible by everyday smartphones. The company’s BlueBird satellite design, spanning 2,400 square feet, is engineered to deliver up to 10,000 MHz of processing bandwidth per satellite. This capacity enables data transmission speeds of up to 120 Mbps, supporting high-quality voice calls, data, and video applications.
With plans to integrate these capabilities into a robust satellite network, AST SpaceMobile aligns with Cadence’s vision of accelerating innovation and connectivity. Together, the two companies are laying the groundwork for a more inclusive, digitally connected future.
Bridging Connectivity Gaps Globally
The collaboration between Cadence and AST SpaceMobile marks a significant leap forward in the effort to eliminate digital divides. By leveraging state-of-the-art design tools and IP solutions, they are poised to transform satellite and cellular broadband, providing accessible, high-speed internet to people across the globe—especially in regions where traditional connectivity options remain limited.
Through their combined expertise, AST SpaceMobile and Cadence are setting a new standard for innovation in satellite communications and fostering a future of unprecedented global connectivity.
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, for both commercial and government use. 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.
