The hub is being created in partnership with AST SpaceMobile and will open this summer at Vodafone’s Innovation Centre in Málaga supported by the Spanish Space Agency and the University of Málaga.
Vodafone wants other third-party technology companies and developers to join to create a European ecosystem of combined satellite and Earth-based connectivity solutions.
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Alberto Ripepi, chief network officer for Vodafone Group, said: “As society becomes more digital, the need to close coverage gaps increases. Vodafone, together with AST SpaceMobile and the University of Málaga, will forge partnerships with like-minded organisations to build harmonious space and earth networks to meet Europe’s ambitious targets for ubiquitous digital connectivity.”
The hub will design, test, and validate new open source hardware, software, and processing chips capable of interchangeably operating in both space and terrestrial networks.
The site will house a space-to-land gateway, similar to the one Vodafone used for its recent space direct-to-device video call, to allow partners to test their own services.
The hub will connect to AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird satellites, which span hundreds of square feet in length and provide connectivity direct to devices, enabling hub users to try out their services ahead of launching them commercially.
Vodafone plans to expand the hub to become a fully managed network and service operations centre for third-party companies across Europe.
Chris Ivory, chief commercial officer at AST SpaceMobile, said: “We are excited to collaborate with Vodafone and the University of Málaga on this pioneering project.
“This partnership will drive forward our shared vision of providing space-based cellular broadband connectivity directly to everyday smartphones everywhere, leveraging our innovative satellite technology with the largest commercial communications arrays ever deployed in low Earth orbit.”
The research hub launch comes as Vodafone looks to double down on satellite connectivity, with plans to launch commercial direct-to-smartphone mobile broadband satellite connectivity across Europe later in 2025 and 2026.
The telco giant inked a long-term deal with AST SpaceMobile late last year for gateways to AST’s Block 1 BlueBird satellite to support its planned space-based broadband network.
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