AST SpaceMobile Technical Glossary

Built from the 322-page Kook Report and selected public CatSE threads, then rewritten in plain English and checked against SEC, AST SpaceMobile, FCC, 3GPP, ETSI, ITU and NASA sources. Tweets and the report are discovery material, not technical standards or neutral authorities. L-band and cellular low-band are not synonyms: L-band is the named 1–2 GHz letter band, while low-band generally means mobile spectrum below 1 GHz. Report page references show where a term appears in the investor report.

122 terms

PinnedKWYOBusiness Model

Also: Know What You Own

An investing discipline: understand a company's business, technology, economics and risks well enough to hold through volatility instead of reacting to price alone. For a pre-revenue, capital-intensive name like AST SpaceMobile, that means learning how the satellites, spectrum rights, MNO partnerships and financing actually fit together. This glossary exists to make that easier. Thanks to @ASTSHodlerClub for keeping the community focused on it.

3GPPNetwork & Standards

Also: 3rd Generation Partnership Project

The standards organization behind mobile technologies such as LTE and 5G. 3GPP also defines how non-terrestrial networks connect to mobile devices and core networks. A 3GPP specification provides a technical framework, not proof of any vendor's commercial performance.

Kook Report p. 148, 221, 261, 274S7

4G LTENetwork & Standards

Also: Long Term Evolution · LTE

A widely deployed mobile standard for voice and data. AST demonstrated early direct connections with ordinary LTE devices, but the satellite link still has to manage timing offsets and frequency shifts.

Kook Report p. 85, 89, 100S2S7

5G NRNetwork & Standards

Also: 5G New Radio · NR

The radio interface for 5G. For satellite networks, 3GPP adds NTN features that account for longer propagation times, Doppler shift, and moving coverage cells.

Kook Report p. 221S7

ACLRSpectrum & Regulation

Also: Adjacent Channel Leakage Ratio

The ratio between filtered mean power in the assigned channel and power leaking into an adjacent channel. A higher value in dB means less relative leakage and better protection for neighboring channels.

Kook Report p. 133–135, 139S9

Active Direct Radiating ArrayRadio & Antennas

Also: Active phased array · Direct radiating array · DRA

An antenna surface made from many actively controlled radiating elements. Their signals are combined electronically to shape and steer beams without a large mechanically pointed dish.

Kook Report p. 11S2S5

Antenna GainRadio & Antennas

Also: Gain · dBi

A measure of how strongly an antenna concentrates transmitted energy, or receives energy, in a particular direction. Gain does not create power. It redistributes available power more selectively.

Kook Report p. 129–130S5

ApertureRadio & Antennas

Also: Antenna aperture · Effective aperture · Effective area

The effective collecting area of an antenna. A larger aperture can receive weaker handset signals and form narrower beams, which is why the size of the BlueBird arrays matters technically.

Kook Report p. 84, 92, 114S2S5

ARPUBusiness Model

Also: Average Revenue per User

Average revenue generated per user over a given period. For AST, the key questions are what the MNO charges the customer and how much remains for AST after the agreed revenue split.

Kook Report p. 31, 57, 60S2

Array ElementRadio & Antennas

Also: Antenna element · Radiating element · Phased-array element

One individually fed or controlled radiator inside an antenna array. Thousands of elements can work together to form and steer beams. Element count alone does not state usable capacity because power, geometry, bandwidth, processing and interference also matter.

Kook Report p. 279S5S9

ASIC / AST5000Satellite & Hardware

Also: Application-Specific Integrated Circuit · Custom silicon · AST5000 chip

A chip designed for a fixed set of signal-processing tasks. AST is developing the AST5000 to process more beams, users, and bandwidth with less power than general-purpose FPGAs. Performance figures remain company targets until demonstrated in orbit.

Kook Report p. 98, 114, 121S2S5

ATMBusiness Model

Also: At-the-Market Offering · ATM Offering · At-the-Market Program

A financing program that lets a company sell newly issued shares into the market over time. It provides flexible access to capital but can dilute existing shareholders.

Kook Report p. 15, 64S2

Attach RateBusiness Model

Also: Adoption rate · Subscriber penetration

The share of eligible MNO customers who actually subscribe to or use the satellite service. A partnership covering many subscribers is therefore not the same as having many paying users.

Kook Report p. 60S4

BackhaulNetwork & Standards

Also: Network backhaul · Transport network · Gateway backhaul

The broader transport path carrying aggregated traffic from an access network or gateway toward the mobile core and the internet. In AST's architecture, backhaul can include the satellite feeder link and terrestrial transport, but it is not a synonym for either one alone.

Kook Report p. 15, 37, 114, 146, 211, 258, 260–268, 312S4S5S7

Band 14 / FirstNetSpectrum & Regulation

Also: 700 MHz public-safety band · FirstNet spectrum

A United States frequency band used by the nationwide FirstNet public-safety network. Its low frequency supports broad coverage and building penetration, but use from space still depends on FCC authorization and rights supplied by partner operators.

Kook Report p. 16, 67, 148S6S8

Bandwidth / Channel BandwidthRadio & Antennas

Also: Occupied bandwidth · Channel width · MHz of spectrum

Bandwidth is the frequency range available to carry a signal, measured in hertz. Channel bandwidth is the width assigned to one radio channel. More bandwidth can support more data, but it is not the same as throughput and does not guarantee speed without sufficient signal quality and network resources.

Kook Report p. 37, 50, 84, 86, 108–110, 114, 121, 129–130, 159, 161, 163, 170, 179, 218, 277S9S19

BeamformingRadio & Antennas

Also: Electronic beam steering · Beam steering

The coordinated control of phase and amplitude across many antenna elements to shape and steer a radio beam electronically. It concentrates power on a target area and helps limit interference outside the intended cell.

Kook Report p. 11, 86–90S2S5

Bent-Pipe / Transparent PayloadNetwork & Standards

Also: Bent-pipe payload · Transparent repeater · Transparent satellite

A payload that mainly translates and relays the radio signal while key mobile-network processing remains on the ground. It differs from a regenerative payload that performs more network processing aboard the satellite.

Kook Report p. 83, 85, 211S7

Block 1Satellite & Hardware

Also: BB1 · BlueBird Block 1 · First five commercial BlueBirds

The first five commercial BlueBird satellites. They form an FPGA-based bridge generation between BlueWalker 3 and later, larger spacecraft, so their cost and capacity should not be projected directly onto every future block.

Kook Report p. 110–113S2S4

Block 2 / Flight ModelSatellite & Hardware

Also: BB2 · BlueBird Block 2 · FM-1 · FM-2 · Flight Model

AST's larger next-generation BlueBird family. Flight Model is a production or filing identifier for an individual spacecraft, not a separate network standard. Hardware can differ between early and later units, including the transition from FPGA processing toward AST5000 silicon.

Kook Report p. 114–121S2S4

Block 3Satellite & Hardware

Also: BlueBird Block 3 · BB3 · Later-generation BlueBird

A later-generation label used in investor material and public community analysis for spacecraft expected to expand usable spectrum and capacity. It is not a finalized industry standard, and frequency ranges or performance figures remain filing, company or analyst claims until formally specified and demonstrated.

Kook Report p. 98, 246S4S12S23

BlueBirdSatellite & Hardware

Also: BB · Commercial AST satellite

AST's commercial satellite family. Block 1 and later generations differ substantially in array size, processing hardware, and planned capacity, so referring to a BlueBird without naming its block can be misleading.

Kook Report p. 12, 15–17S2S5

BlueWalker 3Satellite & Hardware

Also: BW3 · BlueWalker-3 · Test satellite

AST's test satellite and technical proof of concept for direct connections to ordinary smartphones. A successful demonstrator does not by itself prove that a full constellation can operate economically at scale.

Kook Report p. 6, 15, 101S2

CapEx / OpExBusiness Model

Also: Capital Expenditure · Operating Expenditure · Capital expenses · Operating expenses

CapEx funds long-lived assets such as satellites, factories, and gateways. OpEx covers recurring costs such as staff, operations, and maintenance. AST's funding needs depend on deployment costs, replacement cycles, and ongoing network expenses together.

Kook Report p. 58, 62, 64S2

Capped CallBusiness Model

Also: Convertible hedge · Call-spread overlay · Dilution hedge

An option structure bought by an issuer alongside convertible debt to offset potential share dilution or extra cash settlement up to a stated cap price. It raises the dilution threshold but does not remove dilution above the cap or eliminate the debt.

Kook Report p. 75, 77S2

Carrier AggregationNetwork & Standards

Also: CA · Aggregated carriers · Multi-carrier aggregation

A mobile-network feature that combines two or more component carriers so a compatible device can use more total spectrum. The carriers may be contiguous or separated, but device support, scheduling and authorization still determine what can be used in practice.

S15S19

Cell vs. Spot BeamRadio & Antennas

Also: Coverage cell · Spot beam · Radio cell

A spot beam is the physical antenna beam illuminating a limited footprint on the ground. A cell is the logically managed radio area with its own identity and resources. They can be mapped together, but they do not always remain in a permanent one-to-one relationship.

Kook Report p. 90, 98, 107S2S5

Component CarrierNetwork & Standards

Also: CC · Aggregated carrier · Serving-cell carrier

One individual radio carrier that can operate alone or be combined with other carriers through carrier aggregation. A component carrier has its own bandwidth and scheduling context; adding nominal carriers does not guarantee that every handset can aggregate them.

S15S19

ConstellationSatellite & Hardware

Also: Satellite constellation · Satellite fleet

A coordinated group of satellites that provides coverage as a system. One successful satellite can demonstrate technology, but continuous service also requires enough satellites, suitable orbits, gateways, and reliable handovers.

Kook Report p. 5–11, 26S2S8

Continuous vs. Intermittent CoverageNetwork & Standards

Also: Continuous coverage · Intermittent service · Pass-based coverage · Persistent coverage

Intermittent coverage exists only while a suitable satellite is visible over an area. Continuous coverage requires enough overlapping satellites, orbital planes, gateways and handovers to keep service available as spacecraft move. Constellation counts quoted for either state are deployment estimates, not universal constants.

Kook Report p. 6, 27, 29, 69, 79, 92, 96, 193, 200, 280, 300S2S4S7

ControlSatSatellite & Hardware

Also: Satellite bus · Service module

The bus and control section of a BlueBird, containing power distribution, attitude control, communications, and other spacecraft subsystems. It supports and controls the large antenna array but is not the array itself.

Kook Report p. 115, 117S2

Convertible Senior NotesBusiness Model

Also: Convertible notes · Convertible bonds · Senior convertibles

Senior debt that can be settled under stated terms in cash, shares or a combination. It provides funding before conversion, carries interest and repayment obligations, and can create future dilution depending on the share price and settlement method.

Kook Report p. 65, 75–78S2

dB / dBmRadio & Antennas

Also: Decibel · Decibel-milliwatt · Power ratio · Absolute RF power

dB expresses a logarithmic ratio, such as gain or loss. dBm expresses an absolute power level referenced to one milliwatt. They are not interchangeable: 3 dB is a relative change, while 3 dBm is a specific power level.

S9S21

Deorbit / Five-Year RuleSpectrum & Regulation

Also: Post-mission disposal · PMD · Orbital-debris rule · Five-year disposal benchmark

Post-mission disposal removes a spacecraft from operational orbit or places it on a compliant decay path. The FCC shortened its benchmark for LEO space stations from 25 years to no more than five years after mission completion; that affects fuel, mass, reliability and licensing plans.

Kook Report p. 61, 115, 272–274S8S18

DilutionBusiness Model

Also: Shareholder dilution · Equity dilution

New shares or equity-linked financing spread ownership across a larger number of securities. The company receives capital, while an existing shareholder's percentage ownership falls unless that shareholder buys more.

Kook Report p. 12, 26, 64S2

Direct-to-Device / Direct-to-CellNetwork & Standards

Also: D2D · D2C · Direct-to-Handset

A direct radio connection between a satellite and an ordinary mobile device. In AST's case, the goal is to work without a special satellite dish or proprietary satellite phone. D2D alone does not specify speed, capacity, or service availability.

Kook Report p. 6, 9, 13S2S5

Doppler CompensationNetwork & Standards

Also: Doppler correction · Frequency correction · Doppler pre-compensation

Correction for the frequency shift caused by the high relative speed of a LEO satellite. Without compensation, the mobile signal can drift outside its assigned channel or lose synchronization.

Kook Report p. 86–90S5S7

DownlinkNetwork & Standards

Also: Space-to-Earth link · Satellite-to-user link

The transmission direction from a satellite to a smartphone or gateway. Frequency, transmit power, antenna gain, and path loss determine how much signal reaches the receiver.

Kook Report p. 107, 130, 151S5S7

EIRPRadio & Antennas

Also: Effective Isotropic Radiated Power · Equivalent Isotropically Radiated Power

A calculated measure combining transmitter power and antenna gain in a given direction. It indicates how strong a transmitter appears to a receiver and is not simply the satellite's electrical power consumption.

Kook Report p. 129–130S9S8

Elevation AngleRadio & Antennas

Also: Satellite elevation · Elevation

The angle of a satellite above the local horizon. At low elevation, the signal travels farther and the beam footprint becomes more distorted, making the link budget and interference control more difficult.

Kook Report p. 131, 220S7

eNodeB / gNodeBNetwork & Standards

Also: eNB · gNB · LTE base station · 5G base station

The base-station functions used by LTE and 5G, respectively. In a transparent NTN architecture, much of this processing can remain on the ground while the satellite supplies the radio path.

Kook Report p. 85, 92, 284S7

ESMRSpectrum & Regulation

Also: Enhanced Specialized Mobile Radio · 800 MHz ESMR · 800 MHz SMR

Enhanced Specialized Mobile Radio is a United States service in paired 800 MHz spectrum. In the Grain transaction discussed by the FCC, it covers 817–824 MHz uplink and 862–869 MHz downlink. That makes it cellular low-band, not L-band, and satellite use still requires separate SCS authority or waivers.

S11S14S22

FCC Processing RoundSpectrum & Regulation

Also: NGSO processing round · Satellite licensing round · Processing-round status

An FCC process that groups potentially conflicting NGSO applications for comparative treatment and coordination. Placement in a processing round can affect interference rights and timing, but it is not the same as final market access or authority to use every requested band.

Kook Report p. 261–262, 269S6S8

FCC U.S. Market AccessSpectrum & Regulation

Also: U.S. market access · Petition for Declaratory Ruling · Non-U.S.-licensed system access

FCC permission for a satellite system licensed outside the United States to serve the U.S. market. It is separate from band-specific SCS authority, earth-station licenses, experimental permissions and any rights supplied by a mobile operator.

Kook Report p. 260–265S6S8

FDDSpectrum & Regulation

Also: Frequency Division Duplex · Paired spectrum

A duplex method in which uplink and downlink use separate paired frequency ranges. Many mobile and MSS bands discussed in the report are organized this way.

Kook Report p. 161S7S8

Feeder Link / Gateway LinkNetwork & Standards

Also: Feeder link · Gateway link · Satellite-to-gateway link

The radio link between a satellite and a ground gateway. For AST, it carries aggregated traffic into the terrestrial mobile network, with V-band among the frequencies discussed in the report. Backhaul is the broader network transport path and is not a synonym for the feeder link.

Kook Report p. 15, 114, 211S5S7

FPGASatellite & Hardware

Also: Field-Programmable Gate Array · Programmable logic

A chip that can be reconfigured after manufacturing. FPGAs are flexible and useful in early systems, but usually consume more power and area than a mature purpose-built ASIC performing the same task.

Kook Report p. 110, 114S2

Frequency ReuseRadio & Antennas

Also: Reuse pattern · Capacity reuse · Spectrum reuse · Capacity / Reuse

Using the same block of frequencies again in spatially separated cells. It increases network capacity when beams and sidelobes isolate neighboring cells well enough to keep interference under control.

Kook Report p. 90, 134S2S6

G/TRadio & Antennas

Also: Gain-to-noise-temperature ratio · Antenna G over T · Receiver figure of merit

A receiver figure of merit equal to antenna gain divided by system noise temperature, normally expressed in dB per kelvin. Higher G/T means the receiving system can detect weaker signals more effectively; it combines antenna performance and receiver noise rather than measuring either alone.

Kook Report p. 129–130S21

GatewayNetwork & Standards

Also: Ground gateway · Gateway earth station · Ground station

A ground station that passes satellite traffic into the mobile operator's network. It connects the user's service link, through the feeder link, to the terrestrial core network.

Kook Report p. 72, 74, 85S5S7

HandoverNetwork & Standards

Also: Handoff · Cell handover · Satellite handover

The controlled transfer of an active connection to another beam, satellite, or terrestrial radio network. LEO coverage moves quickly, so reliable handovers are essential for continuous service.

Kook Report p. 123, 127, 296S7

Harmful InterferenceSpectrum & Regulation

Also: Radio interference · Harmful radio interference

Interference that seriously degrades, obstructs, or repeatedly interrupts a lawfully operated radio service. Regulators assess not only whether AST can make a connection, but also whether its system protects other networks within applicable limits.

Kook Report p. 8, 9, 11S6S8

HARQNetwork & Standards

Also: Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request · Hybrid ARQ · Retransmission combining

A reliability mechanism that detects failed data blocks and requests retransmission while combining information from earlier attempts. Long and variable satellite delay changes HARQ timing and buffering requirements, so NTN specifications adapt the procedure.

S7S15

In-Orbit SpareSatellite & Hardware

Also: Orbital spare · On-orbit spare · Hot spare satellite

A satellite already in orbit that can replace failed or degraded capacity. It improves resilience and restoration time, but it also consumes launch, manufacturing and operating capital before it produces incremental service capacity.

Kook Report p. 79, 260S4S8

InclinationSatellite & Hardware

Also: Orbital inclination · Orbit inclination

The angle between an orbital plane and Earth's equatorial plane. It affects which latitudes a satellite can reach and how a constellation serves regional coverage and demand.

Kook Report p. 110, 214S8

IoT / Massive IoTBusiness Model

Also: Internet of Things · mIoT · M2M · Connected assets

Connectivity for machines, sensors or tracked assets rather than conventional smartphone sessions. Many IoT devices send small, infrequent messages, so their coverage and power needs can differ sharply from broadband users; a large device count is not automatically a large revenue pool.

Kook Report p. 51, 170, 194–195S2S4S7

L-BandSpectrum & Regulation

Also: L-band spectrum · 1–2 GHz letter band

The named radio-frequency letter band from 1 to 2 GHz under the conventional IEEE definition. L-band is not a synonym for cellular low-band, which generally means mobile spectrum below 1 GHz. Actual usability still depends on allocation, licensing, channel width, and device support.

Kook Report p. 148–152S2S12S13S23

Latency / RTTNetwork & Standards

Also: Latency · Round-Trip Time · Packet delay

The time required for a signal or packet to travel through the network. LEO shortens the space path compared with GEO, but gateway routing, processing, congestion, and protocol overhead also contribute to total latency.

Kook Report p. 114, 127, 220S5S7

Launch CadenceBusiness Model

Also: Launch tempo · Deployment cadence · Launch rate

The frequency at which completed satellites are actually launched. It is separate from factory output: a high production rate without launch slots creates inventory, while available launches without finished spacecraft do not create coverage.

Kook Report p. 241, 245S2S4

Launch Redundancy / OvercontractingBusiness Model

Also: Multi-provider launch strategy · Overbooked launch capacity · Launch diversification

Booking multiple providers or more launch capacity than the base plan requires to reduce dependence on one vehicle or schedule. It can improve resilience to delays, but it may add deposits, cancellation costs or unused capacity.

Kook Report p. 248S2S4

LEOSatellite & Hardware

Also: Low Earth Orbit

An orbit relatively close to Earth, far below geostationary altitude. LEO can reduce propagation delay and path loss, but continuous service requires many moving satellites and frequent handovers.

Kook Report p. 37, 101, 130S2S7

Link BudgetRadio & Antennas

Also: Radio link budget · Link margin calculation

An accounting of every gain and loss in a radio link, including transmit power, antenna gain, path loss, noise, and required receive quality. It shows whether a connection can work under a defined set of assumptions.

Kook Report p. 98, 138, 279S7

Link MarginRadio & Antennas

Also: Fade margin · System margin · Link-budget margin

The amount by which a calculated radio link exceeds the minimum performance required for reliable operation. Positive margin absorbs uncertainty, fading, pointing error and implementation loss; it is not spare bandwidth and can disappear when assumptions change.

Kook Report p. 90S21

LOI / MOUBusiness Model

Also: Letter of Intent · Memorandum of Understanding · Non-binding agreement

Documents that describe a planned collaboration, usually with less binding force than a final commercial contract. An LOI or MOU therefore does not automatically represent guaranteed revenue.

Kook Report p. 5, 6, 14S2

Low-BandSpectrum & Regulation

Also: Sub-1 GHz cellular spectrum · Coverage spectrum

A cellular-market category that generally refers to mobile spectrum below 1 GHz. It tends to provide broad coverage and stronger obstacle penetration, but usually offers less bandwidth per channel than higher-frequency mobile bands. Low-band is not L-band: L-band is the named 1 to 2 GHz radio-frequency letter band.

Kook Report p. 11, 90, 143–144S2S11S14S22S23

MicronSatellite & Hardware

Also: AST Micron · Array module

A modular building block of AST's deployable antenna array. Many Microns form the full surface. The name is specific to AST and should not be confused with the micrometre unit of length.

Kook Report p. 101–102, 215S2

Mid-BandSpectrum & Regulation

Also: Mid-band spectrum · Capacity spectrum

Mobile frequencies above typical low-band ranges, often offering more usable bandwidth and capacity at the cost of shorter reach. The exact boundaries of mid-band depend on the regulatory and technical context.

Kook Report p. 11, 90, 143–146S2S5

MIMORadio & Antennas

Also: Multiple Input Multiple Output

A radio technique using multiple antenna paths to carry separate spatial data streams or improve robustness. MIMO can increase capacity, but it depends on suitable channel conditions, device support, and signal processing.

Kook Report p. 107–109, 125S9

MNOBusiness Model

Also: Mobile Network Operator · Carrier · Wireless operator

A company that operates a mobile network with licensed spectrum, a core network, billing systems, and customer relationships. AST plans to sell mainly through MNOs instead of managing consumers and retail plans worldwide.

Kook Report p. 5–11, 52–55S2S5

MNO Prefunding / PrepaymentsBusiness Model

Also: Partner prepayment · MNO prepayment · Strategic prefunding

Cash paid by a mobile-network partner before commercial usage to help fund deployment or reserve future service. It can reduce near-term financing needs, but it is not the same as recurring service revenue and may carry performance obligations.

Kook Report p. 67, 80–81S2S4

Modulation and Coding SchemeNetwork & Standards

Also: MCS · Modulation order and code rate · Link adaptation

The selected combination of modulation order and error-correction coding rate for a radio transmission. Better channel quality permits a higher MCS and more bits per resource; weaker or noisier links require a more robust, lower-rate choice.

Kook Report p. 130S15S19

MSSSpectrum & Regulation

Also: Mobile-Satellite Service · Mobile satellite service

A regulatory radio-service category for mobile communications by satellite. MSS spectrum and terrestrial mobile spectrum follow different allocation and authorization paths. SCS connects the two under a separate regulatory framework.

Kook Report p. 149–152, 160S6S8

MSS Spectrum vs. Terrestrial Mobile SpectrumSpectrum & Regulation

Also: Satellite spectrum vs. cellular spectrum · MSS allocation · Terrestrial SCS spectrum

MSS spectrum is allocated and licensed for mobile-satellite service. Terrestrial mobile spectrum is licensed for ground cellular networks and can support SCS only under a separate framework. AST can seek access to both, but ownership, leases, partner rights and regulatory authority are distinct questions.

Kook Report p. 6, 13, 85, 149–150, 199, 266, 277, 280, 288, 298–299S6S8S12S22S23

Multi-TenantBusiness Model

Also: Shared infrastructure · Multi-operator platform

A model in which one constellation serves multiple MNOs and markets. This can spread fixed costs across more customers, but the actual scale benefit depends on demand, spectrum availability, and capacity utilization.

Kook Report p. 6, 8S2

NGSOSatellite & Hardware

Also: Non-Geostationary Satellite Orbit · Non-geostationary satellite system

A satellite orbit or system that moves relative to the Earth's surface instead of remaining fixed over one location. LEO constellations are NGSO systems, but NGSO also includes other non-geostationary orbits.

Kook Report p. 135, 160–161S7S8

NGSO FSSSpectrum & Regulation

Also: Non-Geostationary Fixed-Satellite Service · NGSO fixed-satellite service · Gateway FSS

A regulatory service class for fixed satellite links operated by a non-geostationary system. In AST's context it mainly covers gateway or feeder-link authority and should not be confused with permission for direct service links to ordinary phones.

Kook Report p. 260, 269S6S8

Noise FigureRadio & Antennas

Also: NF · Receiver noise figure · Noise-factor penalty

A measure of how much a receiver degrades the signal-to-noise ratio compared with an ideal noiseless receiver. A lower noise figure is better. It affects receiver sensitivity and G/T but is not the same as the external radio noise floor.

Kook Report p. 130S21

Noise FloorRadio & Antennas

Also: Receiver noise floor · Thermal noise floor · Background RF noise

The background power present when no desired signal is being decoded, including thermal noise, receiver noise and environmental interference. A signal must stand sufficiently above this floor for useful reception; a low displayed noise floor does not by itself prove service quality.

Kook Report p. 135, 140S16S21

NPRM / RulemakingSpectrum & Regulation

Also: Notice of Proposed Rulemaking · Proposed rule · FCC rulemaking

An FCC proposal that publishes possible rules and asks for public comment. It starts or advances a rulemaking record, but it is not a final rule, license, waiver or operating authorization.

Kook Report p. 261, 267–269S6

NTNNetwork & Standards

Also: Non-Terrestrial Network · Non-terrestrial mobile network

The 3GPP umbrella term for mobile access through satellites or other platforms outside conventional terrestrial networks. NTN covers architecture and mobility procedures, while D2D more narrowly describes a direct connection to the end device.

Kook Report p. 16, 278, 296, 300S7

OOBESpectrum & Regulation

Also: Out-of-Band Emissions · Out-of-band emission

Unwanted transmitted energy outside the assigned frequency band. For large constellations, regulators may assess the aggregate contribution from many satellites rather than only one transmitter.

Kook Report p. 131, 133, 135–139S6S8

Orbital Altitude / Slant RangeSatellite & Hardware

Also: Orbit height · Satellite altitude · Slant distance · User-to-satellite range

Orbital altitude is the spacecraft's height above Earth. Slant range is the actual line-of-sight distance from a particular ground point to the satellite and is usually longer than altitude except directly overhead. Range affects path loss, delay, beam geometry and link margin.

Kook Report p. 99, 101, 115, 129–130, 234, 272, 290, 305, 310–311S8S21

Orbital Plane / ShellSatellite & Hardware

Also: Orbital plane · Orbital shell · Constellation shell

An orbital plane is the common geometric plane followed by a group of satellites. A shell groups orbits with similar altitude and inclination. Their arrangement determines revisit patterns, coverage, and how many satellites can be visible over a region at once.

Kook Report p. 6, 28, 213–214S8

Path LossRadio & Antennas

Also: Transmission loss · Propagation loss · Free-space path loss

The total reduction in signal power between a transmitter and receiver. Free-space loss is only the idealized propagation component. A complete link budget must include all relevant propagation and system losses.

Kook Report p. 129–130S10

PayloadSatellite & Hardware

Also: Communications payload · RF payload · Mission payload

The mission equipment that performs the satellite's communications job, separate from support systems such as structure, propulsion and power. For AST, the payload includes antenna and signal-processing functions; payload capability is not the same as total spacecraft mass or electrical power.

Kook Report p. 34, 41, 84, 90, 115, 118, 121, 211, 213, 215, 226, 238, 305S2S7

PFD / Aggregate PFDRadio & Antennas

Also: Power Flux Density · Aggregate Power Flux Density · Aggregate PFD

PFD measures the received power arriving per unit area at a location. Aggregate PFD combines the relevant contributions from multiple transmitters. It is not automatically the same as EPFD, which also accounts for the directional response of the affected receiving antenna.

Kook Report p. 129–130, 135S6S8

Phased ArrayRadio & Antennas

Also: Electronically steered array · Antenna array · ESA

An antenna made from many elements operating with controlled phase relationships. Their combined signals form electronically steerable beams. Array size refers to antenna area, not the satellite's total mass or automatically to its capacity.

Kook Report p. 11, 90, 98S2S5

PolarizationRadio & Antennas

Also: Linear polarization · Circular polarization · Polarization multiplexing

The orientation or rotation pattern of a radio wave's electric field. Matching transmitter and receiver polarization reduces loss, while sufficiently isolated polarizations can sometimes carry separate channels. Real antennas and propagation limit that isolation.

Kook Report p. 90S9S21

Production RateBusiness Model

Also: Manufacturing throughput · Satellite output · Satellites per month

The number of completed satellites, arrays or modules produced in a period. Investor schedules should distinguish announced factory capacity, work in progress and flight-ready spacecraft because they are not the same milestone.

Kook Report p. 242–243S2S4

Quality of ServiceNetwork & Standards

Also: QoS · 5G QoS flow · Service quality

The network treatment used to meet service requirements such as delay, reliability, priority and data rate. Signal strength contributes to performance, but QoS also depends on congestion, scheduling, routing, handovers and the mobile core.

S20

RANNetwork & Standards

Also: Radio Access Network

The part of a mobile network between the user device and the core network. NTN extends the radio-access architecture with a satellite, service link, and gateway while the MNO retains key network functions.

Kook Report p. 83, 122, 127, 206, 278S7

Regenerative PayloadNetwork & Standards

Also: On-board processing payload · Regenerative satellite · Processed payload

A satellite payload that terminates and processes more of the radio or network protocol on board before forwarding traffic. It can reduce some ground dependence or enable advanced routing, but adds spacecraft processing, power and software complexity compared with a transparent bent-pipe payload.

S7S15

Revenue ShareBusiness Model

Also: Revenue split · Revenue-sharing agreement

A commercial arrangement under which AST and an MNO divide service revenue. The actual split can vary by market, spectrum contribution, supplied infrastructure, and contract. The business model does not imply one universal percentage.

Kook Report p. 8, 60–61S2

RF / Radio FrequencyRadio & Antennas

Also: RF · Radio-frequency signal · Radio-frequency spectrum

Electromagnetic frequencies used for wireless communication, sensing and control. RF is an umbrella term, not a specific band: cellular low-band, L-band, S-band and V-band all occupy different parts of the radio spectrum.

Kook Report p. 88, 91, 122, 125, 135, 288S9S13S21

RFPBusiness Model

Also: Request for Proposal · Competitive procurement

A formal process in which an MNO requests and compares proposals from potential suppliers. An RFP indicates procurement interest but is not a signed or won contract.

Kook Report p. 6S4

RSRPRadio & Antennas

Also: Reference Signal Received Power · SS-RSRP · CSI-RSRP

The received power measured on defined reference-signal resource elements. It is mainly a signal-strength metric. RSRP does not directly include all interference and noise, so a strong RSRP can coexist with poor usable quality.

S16S19

RSRQRadio & Antennas

Also: Reference Signal Received Quality · SS-RSRQ · CSI-RSRQ

A reference-signal quality metric derived from RSRP relative to wider received power such as RSSI. It helps expose loading and interference that RSRP alone misses, but its exact form depends on the radio technology and measurement definition.

S16

RSSIRadio & Antennas

Also: Received Signal Strength Indicator · Total received power

A measurement of total received power across a specified bandwidth. It can include the wanted signal, other cells, interference and thermal noise, so a high RSSI does not necessarily mean a clean or fast connection.

S16

S-BandSpectrum & Regulation

Also: S-band spectrum · 2–4 GHz letter band

The named radio-frequency letter band from roughly 2 to 4 GHz under a common definition. It can support wider channels than typical cellular low-band, but practical use still requires compatible devices, licenses, and a viable link budget.

Kook Report p. 162, 246, 274S7S8S12S13S23

SCSNetwork & Standards

Also: Supplemental Coverage from Space · Satellite supplemental coverage

The FCC framework that allows satellite systems to supplement coverage using terrestrially licensed mobile spectrum under defined conditions. SCS is intended to fill coverage gaps. It is not a blanket global authorization and does not replace approvals in other countries.

Kook Report p. 14, 16, 18S6S8

Service Link / User LinkNetwork & Standards

Also: Handset-to-satellite link · Access link · Fronthaul, informal report usage

The direct radio link between the user device and the satellite. 3GPP uses service link and user link as equivalent terms. The investor report sometimes calls it fronthaul, but that is not the 3GPP term. The feeder link to the gateway is the other radio segment.

Kook Report p. 15, 225, 258S4S5S7

Serviceable Addressable MarketBusiness Model

Also: SAM · Serviceable market · Reachable market

The part of the total addressable market that a company can realistically serve after accounting for geography, partners, spectrum rights, regulation, coverage, device support and capacity. It is still a market estimate, not booked revenue.

Kook Report p. 177S4

SidelobeRadio & Antennas

Also: Side lobe · Minor lobe

An unintended secondary direction of radiation outside an antenna beam's main lobe. Good array and beam control suppress sidelobes so frequencies can be reused in nearby cells without causing excessive interference.

Kook Report p. 11, 91, 131–134S8

Signal-to-Noise RatioRadio & Antennas

Also: SNR · S/N · Carrier-to-noise ratio

The ratio of desired signal power to noise power over a defined bandwidth. Higher SNR generally permits more reliable or faster transmission. It does not include all co-channel interference unless the measurement explicitly defines that contribution.

Kook Report p. 84S4S16S21

SINRRadio & Antennas

Also: Signal-to-Interference-plus-Noise Ratio · Signal-to-noise and interference ratio · SS-SINR · CSI-SINR

The desired signal power divided by the combined interference and noise power. SINR is usually more informative than raw signal strength because it captures how clean the channel is, not only how much total power reaches the receiver.

S16S19

Solar Array / Power SystemSatellite & Hardware

Also: Photovoltaic array · Deployable solar array · Spacecraft power system · Battery system

The equipment that generates, stores and distributes spacecraft electrical power. It is separate from the RF phased array even though both may be large deployable structures. Available power constrains transmit power, processing, thermal design and service duty cycle.

Kook Report p. 233, 235S2S4

Special Temporary AuthoritySpectrum & Regulation

Also: STA · FCC STA · Temporary operating authority · Experimental authorization

Time-limited FCC permission for specifically described temporary tests or operations. An STA can authorize a narrow set of frequencies, locations, equipment and dates; it is not a permanent commercial license or proof that broader authority will follow.

S17

Spectral EfficiencyRadio & Antennas

Also: Spectrum efficiency · bit/s/Hz · Bits per second per hertz

The amount of data transmitted per second for each hertz of bandwidth. Higher spectral efficiency helps use scarce spectrum, but it cannot replace additional bandwidth or unlimited power and depends on signal quality and the selected radio scheme.

Kook Report p. 107–108, 121S2

SpectrumSpectrum & Regulation

Also: Radio spectrum · Radio frequencies · RF spectrum

The regulated radio frequencies used to transmit information. Satellites alone do not create capacity. AST also needs usable bandwidth, partner or owned rights, compatible devices, and regulatory authorization in each market.

Kook Report p. 11, 143–150S2S6S8

Spectrum LeaseSpectrum & Regulation

Also: Spectrum leasing agreement · Frequency lease

A contract granting defined rights to use licensed spectrum. The agreement does not replace regulatory approval and can contain geographic, technical, and time limits.

Kook Report p. 6, 11, 14S2S8

Spectrum Sharing / CoordinationSpectrum & Regulation

Also: Frequency coordination · Coexistence · Shared-spectrum operation

Technical and regulatory processes that let multiple authorized systems use related frequencies without unacceptable interference. Coordination can involve geography, time, power, beam pointing, databases or negotiated limits; sharing does not mean every user has equal or unrestricted rights.

Kook Report p. 258–260, 265S6S8

Spectrum WaiverSpectrum & Regulation

Also: FCC waiver · Rule waiver · Spectrum-lease waiver

A fact-specific exemption from an existing regulatory rule when the authority finds the legal standard is met. A waiver is not spectrum ownership, does not automatically apply to other bands or applicants, and can carry conditions or be deferred.

Kook Report p. 261–267S6S8S22

Super-WholesaleBusiness Model

Also: Wholesale model · Wholesale capacity model

The Kook report's label for AST's model in which AST supplies satellite capacity while MNOs contribute spectrum, customer relationships, retail plans, and billing. The word super is investor terminology, not a separate regulatory business category.

Kook Report p. 8, 52, 55S2S4

TAMBusiness Model

Also: Total Addressable Market · Total available market

The maximum theoretical market under a defined set of assumptions. TAM is not a revenue forecast or cash flow. Adoption, pricing, available capacity, competition, and regulation reduce it to the market a company can actually reach.

Kook Report p. 8, 12, 28–29S2

TDD / Dynamic TDDSpectrum & Regulation

Also: Time Division Duplex · DTDD · Unpaired duplex · Uplink-downlink slot allocation

A duplex method in which uplink and downlink share one frequency channel but use different time slots. Dynamic TDD changes the slot balance with traffic demand. Satellite delay, synchronization and interference make coordination more demanding than the simple phrase 'same channel' suggests.

Kook Report p. 122S15S19

Throughput / Data RateNetwork & Standards

Also: Bit rate · User throughput · Aggregate throughput · Mbps · Gbps

The amount of useful data delivered per unit of time. Peak user throughput, average user speed and aggregate satellite capacity are different metrics. Throughput depends on bandwidth, spectral efficiency, signal quality, scheduling, congestion and protocol overhead.

Kook Report p. 37, 57–58, 79, 90, 98, 107–110, 114–115, 121, 126, 130, 137, 145, 280S4S15S19

TT&CSatellite & Hardware

Also: Telemetry, Tracking and Command · TC&C · Satellite command link

The communications function used for satellite telemetry, orbital tracking, and commands. It monitors and controls the spacecraft and is separate from commercial user traffic.

Kook Report p. 16, 263S8

UENetwork & Standards

Also: User Equipment · User device · Handset · Smartphone

The 3GPP term for the user's device. AST's core proposition is service to an ordinary, unmodified mobile phone, but the frequency band, mobile standard, and operator authorization still have to match.

Kook Report p. 129–130S2S7

Unfurling / DeploymentSatellite & Hardware

Also: Array deployment · Antenna deployment · Unfolding

The process of unfolding the antenna array after it was packed compactly for launch. Successful deployment removes one major single-event risk but does not prove long-term radio performance, service life, or repeatable mass production.

Kook Report p. 11, 15, 86S2

UplinkNetwork & Standards

Also: Earth-to-Space link · User-to-satellite link

The transmission direction from a smartphone or gateway to the satellite. A handset has limited transmit power, so a large receive aperture, favorable frequencies, and a robust link budget are especially important.

Kook Report p. 107, 129, 151S5S7

V-BandSpectrum & Regulation

Also: V-band spectrum · V-band gateway link · V-band backhaul

A very-high-frequency letter band used by satellite systems for high-capacity gateway links. It offers wide bandwidth but is generally more sensitive to atmospheric propagation conditions than cellular low-band or mid-band.

Kook Report p. 14–15, 258S6S8S13

Vertical IntegrationBusiness Model

Also: In-house manufacturing · Integrated production · In-house satellite build

Controlling more design, manufacturing and testing inside the company rather than buying complete systems from suppliers. It can improve iteration and supply control, but it also moves factory execution, capital spending and quality risk onto AST.

Kook Report p. 230–232, 237S2S4