Astrum Mobile and SWISSto12 HummingSat rendering. Photo: Swissto12

Astrum Mobile selected Swissto12 to manufacture the NEASTAR-1 Geostationary Orbit (GEO) satellite to operate as a dedicated direct-to-device (D2D) platform for 5G non-terrestrial network (NTN) services, Astrum Mobile announced Monday.

The satellite will be based on the HummingSat small GEO platform and will operate from the 105 degrees East orbital position, covering the Asia Pacific region. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The company’s D2D service will use 3GPP NTN standards to provide media, data casting, IoT, mass notification, and emergency services. Operating in the L-band, the service is designed to maintain functionality during severe weather conditions, offering service-level assurances during natural disasters. 

Astrum Mobile aims to deliver services to end users through standard smartphones and smart devices. The company also plans to partner with local partners to develop services tailored to each country, with the goal of offering widespread coverage across the region.

Astrum Mobile CEO Michael Do 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 also building small GEO satellites for Intelsat’s and Viasat’s upcoming HummingSat satellites. Swissto12 is building IS-45 for Intelsat 45, to provide Ku-band fixed-satellite services for media and network customers, and three I-8 satellites for the eighth-generation of the Inmarsat L-band network.