Astrum has brought in SWISSto12 to manufacture its NEASTAR-1 satellite, which will be positioned over the Asia Pacific region.
The prospective service will use standard cellular technology protocols (3GPP NTN) but via satellite, supporting regular smartphones and smart devices without special hardware.
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Sean Wallace, CEO of Astrum Mobile, said: “We have received significantly positive assurance from customers and partners that such a service will address the need to provide ubiquitous service access that meets national and commercial interests for enabling communications anywhere, everywhere.”
Astrum’s service is expected to offer data, media streaming, IoT connectivity, and emergency notifications.
It’s designed to keep working during severe weather events like typhoons, when traditional networks often fail, and will feature adjustable signal beams that can be reconfigured over time to meet changing market needs.
Michael Do, chief operating officer of Astrum Mobile, said: SWISSto12 was selected for its commercial approach, experienced satellite telecommunications team, as well as its small and agile spacecraft platform. NEASTAR-1 is the fifth satellite in the HummingSat product line, benefiting from extensive manufacturing experience, heritage and synergies to meet Astrum Mobile’s business plan.”
“SWISSto12 is delighted to partner with Astrum Mobile to deliver NEASTAR-1 on its first S2D mission,” said Emile de Rijk, CEO and Founder of SWISSto12. “We will demonstrate the performance of a powerful S2D payload packed into the compact form factor of HummingSat.”
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