Direct-to-Device and Large Arrays
What do direct-to-device satellites demand from the supply chain?
Chapter summary
very large antennas and a lot of power.
Key takeaways
- 1
Direct-to-device (D2D) satellites must reach ordinary phones, so they fly phased arrays of tens to hundreds of square metres (AST SpaceMobile's Block 2 arrays are 223 m²) with tens of thousands of RF channels, large solar arrays and power systems to drive them.
- 2
SpaceX has authorisation for 15,000 next-generation D2D satellites (October 2026) and will build them in-house; AST and others buy more from outside.
- 3
The demand falls on RF chips and GaN, power electronics, large deployable structures and launch capacity for heavy satellites.
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