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Space

AST SpaceMobile Nabs First Space Development Agency Award Under Europa Effort

By Cal Biesecker

Monday, February 23rd, 2026

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AST SpaceMobile Nabs First Space Development Agency Award Under Europa Effort

A Falcon 9 rocket lifts the first five AST SpaceMobile BlueBird satellites during a September 2024 launch. Photo: AST SpaceMobile

The Space Development Agency (SDA) on Monday said it has awarded a $30 million prototype contract to AST SpaceMobile, Inc. [ASTS], to demonstrate low-latency tactical satellite communications using the company’s commercial spacecraft. The Other Transaction Agreement is for Track 2 of the Europa program and the first overall for Europa. The demonstrations are slated to be completed by December 2027, SDA said. AST will leverage its BlueBird commercial satellite constellation for the series of resilient tactical satellite communications demonstrations between…

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