The first-ever space-based voice calls, made directly to everyday unmodified smartphones using the BlueWalker 3 (“BW3”) satellite, have been demonstrated by AST Space Mobile. This is the first time anyone has ever achieved a direct voice connection from space to everyday cellular devices, demonstrating a significant advancement in AST SpaceMobile’s mission to provide connectivity to the nearly 50% of the global population who remain unconnected from cellular broadband. The first voice call was made from the Midland, Texas area to Rakuten in Japan over AT&T spectrum using a Samsung Galaxy S22 smartphone.