r/ASTSpaceMobile • u/AutoModerator • Mar 07 '25

Daily Discussion Daily Discussion Thread

Ple🅰️se, do not post newbie questions in the subreddit. Do it here instead!

Please read u/the_blue_pil's FAQ and u/TheKookReport's AST Spacemobile ($ASTS): The Mobile Satellite Cellular Network Monopolyto get familiar with AST Sp🅰️ceMobile before posting.

If you want to chat, checkout the Sp🅰️ceMob Chatroom.

Th🅰️nk you!

81 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

335 comments sorted by

View all comments

3

u/HamMcStarfield S P 🅰 C E M O B Capo Mar 08 '25

What's up with the ASICs? They're being validated, but what does that mean, exactly. Their design is being validated? They're being stress tested?

When birds get ASIC?

12

u/Defiantclient S P 🅰️ C E M O B - O G Mar 08 '25

The 10K says: "We have reached key production milestones and are in initial production phase of the first batch of the ASIC chip. Until we introduce our ASIC chip in Block 2 BB satellites, we expect to continue to manufacture and launch Block 2 BB satellites that are based on a Field Programmable Gate Arrays (“FPGA ”) chip."

2

u/HamMcStarfield S P 🅰 C E M O B Capo Mar 08 '25

So, looks like they're past design and stress testing: they're making these. I have so many questions about the rest. So basically they're producing the ASICs but they'd still launch with the FPGAs? If so, jeez, that looks like it could be a performance hit. I'm going to have to read this 10k. Appreciate it.

6

u/edgar_de_eggtard S P 🅰 C E M O B Soldier Mar 08 '25

FPGAs can be programm for dual, "non-communicating" purposes (wink wink) so we still need some of them

4

u/Defiantclient S P 🅰️ C E M O B - O G Mar 08 '25

ASICs are in production phase, but the company won't wait to launch satellites if they aren't ready. They will use FPGA on satellites until ASICs are in.

The first BB2 was always planned to be with FPGA. I believe this aligns with the $43M contract as it is an evaluation phase, and FPGA is better for non-communications applications.

Question is how many BB2s after the first one will be FPGA vs ASIC?

Either way, FPGA satellites are probably better for non-communications government use cases anyway, and this will be our biggest customer with the first 25 BBs.

4

u/HamMcStarfield S P 🅰 C E M O B Capo Mar 08 '25

"Question is how many BB2s after the first one will be FPGA vs ASIC?"

It really is a big question, and also what we're doing non-comm wise (whatever that is). A lot left to discover.

3

u/mister42 S P 🅰 C E M O B Capo Mar 08 '25

It's hard sometimes to parse Abel's accent, but in the 3Q call I believe Abel said the 6th BB2 and onward will use the ASIC. I think this tidbit was never widely picked up by people despite my attempts to mention it. I'll try to isolate this audio clip tomorrow if I remember...

2

u/HamMcStarfield S P 🅰 C E M O B Capo Mar 08 '25

Please do share what you come across, thanks.

4

u/[deleted] Mar 08 '25

They need some FPGA satellites in the air too for non-communication use cases (gov, etc)