Catenaa, Tuesday, November 18, 2025- Vodafone and AST SpaceMobile have selected Germany as the site for their SatCo Satellite Operations Centre, intended to coordinate Europe-wide access to AST’s low Earth orbit satellites.
The centre, to be located near Munich or Hannover, will manage satellite connectivity, beam direction, and encryption keys for commercial and government users across the continent.
SatCo, a joint venture announced in March, aims to provide pan-European mobile broadband from space.
The satellite constellation will support everyday smartphones directly, complement terrestrial 4G/5G networks, and serve public protection and disaster relief (PPDR) operations by delivering reliable broadband to emergency responders even in remote or hazardous areas.
Commercial service is expected to launch in 2026, with 21 EU member states expressing interest.
Germany’s central location supports efficient distribution and integration with national spectrum bands. The centre will also enable access to EU 2GHz Mobile Satellite Services spectrum, allowing operators to deliver a fully sovereign, space-based broadband service.
Engineers at the hub will monitor satellites, manage telemetry, track solar activity, and operate ground gateway stations that link the constellation to terrestrial networks.
AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird constellation will include a ‘command switch’ to maintain security, update encryption keys, and control satellite beams throughout Europe.
Vodafone emphasized that SatCo will provide secure and resilient satellite communications to European operators while reinforcing continental digital sovereignty.
The centre complements SatCo’s Luxembourg headquarters, which manages satellite service distribution. Together, the facilities aim to accelerate mobile broadband from space and expand Europe’s communications infrastructure in both commercial and emergency contexts.
