New satellite operations centre planned for Germany to support EU constellation

by Sophie Jenkins
London, UK (SPX) Nov 08, 2025

Berlin, Germany (SPX) Nov 08, 2025 AST SpaceMobile Inc. and Vodafone Group have chosen Germany as the location for their principal Satellite Operations Centre, designed to allocate, map, and monitor satellite connectivity across Europe. The centre, which will be sited near Munich or Hannover, will coordinate the SatCo satellite system to supply mobile broadband services to public, private, and government users throughout underserved and remote areas. This expansion targets commercial deployment in 2026, with broad interest already shown from mobile network operators in 21 EU states and additional European markets.

SatCo's new constellation will be equipped with a sophisticated command switch designed for European oversight. This functionality enables ongoing encryption and security updates for S-Band and Q/V-Band links - covering both space-to-device connections and ground linkages - to optimize operational security. The command switch system permits real-time modification of telemetry, tracking, control, and service encryption keys. This allows the activation, deactivation, and precise steering of satellite beams depending on European requirements.

Emergency response and disaster relief agencies will benefit from direct space-based broadband coverage supported by the constellation, allowing first responders to use standard smartphones for communications in hazardous or isolated areas. Service reliability is structured to fulfill the EU Critical Communication System (EUCCS) vision, supporting frequency bands identified for PPDR purposes, subject to national regulatory conditions.

In addition to commercial telecom applications, the German centre will provide continuous technical oversight, responding to environmental factors - including extraterrestrial events such as solar flares - and troubleshooting terrestrial disruptions. The centre will operate as part of a network of SatCo ground-based gateway sites throughout Europe. These stations provide secure data backhaul between satellite and terrestrial networks, supporting seamless connectivity for users who move between ground-based and space-based coverage.

To support the initiative, AST SpaceMobile has submitted filings with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) through Germany, addressing spectrum management and potential signal interference. The German location was selected for its strategic role at the centre of Europe's broadband ecosystem, and its capacity to anchor network operations and compliance for EU users.

SatCo aims to leverage the EU's 2GHz Mobile Satellite Service (MSS) spectrum, ensuring that mobile network operators can offer direct space-based broadband on the basis of their national spectrum holdings. If SatCo secures access to this spectrum, it will enable MNOs to provide comprehensive, sovereign pan-European connectivity to their customers, further embedding resilient infrastructure within the EU communications sector.

AST SpaceMobile and Vodafone have demonstrated their technical readiness by conducting the world's first space-based video call and achieving direct 4G/5G mobile connectivity to unmodified smartphones in Europe, with measured download speeds in excess of 20 Mbps using a 5 MHz channel. AST SpaceMobile's next-generation Block 2 BlueBird satellites are planned to boost bandwidth significantly - up to tenfold compared to current units - with peak speeds projected at 120 Mbps, supported by a large patent portfolio and a U.S.-based manufacturing facility.