ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Space Force is closely monitoring the development of a commercial satellite communications service that would allow a standard smartphone to connect directly to satellites, believing the technology could disrupt existing military narrowband satellite communications systems like MUOS, officials said on June 10.
“We see direct-to-cell as truly disruptive,” said Col. Eric Felt, director of space architecture for the Office of the Under Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration.
Speaking at SAE Media Group's Milsatcom USA conference, Felt said his office is tracking developments in commercial satellite communications, such as direct-to-cell phone services, that could augment or replace dedicated military narrowband satellite communications systems, such as the Mobile User Objective System (MUOS), which provides secure voice and data to mobile troops.
“How that technology develops will impact how narrowband users are served,” Felt said.
Felt said these new technologies could give the U.S. military alternatives to make satellite communications more resilient. The Space Force plans to buy two new narrowband communications satellites from Lockheed Martin or Boeing to modernize its existing constellation of five MUOS satellites in geostationary orbit.
Felt noted that the program, called the MUOS Service Life Extension, will allow MUOS to provide service into the 2030s, but the military is considering experimenting with commercial direct cell service as it considers options after MUOS.
Felt said the Space Force's Center for Space Warfighting Analyses is completing a study of future narrowband architectures. “They're looking at all options. What's really disruptive here is 5G, direct from space to cellular.”
Felt said the MUOS life extension program “provides a bridge to the 2030s when we can begin to transition from the current MUOS terminals to other terminals.”
Direct cellular satellite communications would send phone signals via orbiting satellites to ground networks, allowing basic connectivity like messaging on a regular smartphone in areas without cell service. Companies including Starlink, Iridium, Lynk Global and AST SpaceMobile are racing to bring these services to market.
Felt noted that cybersecurity would need to be thoroughly evaluated for any commercial service, but the technology's potential benefits of instantly connecting soldiers to robust satellite communications on any device without specialized equipment have the Defense Department eager to test it.
Iridium Contract
Claire Hopper, director of the Space Force's Commercial Satellite Communications Office (CSCO), said several direct cell satellite communications providers have been selected to compete for task orders under the Diffuse Low Earth Orbit Satellite Services contract.
“I think it's fantastic,” Hopper said at the Milsatcom USA conference. “This is a perfect fit for that,” she added. “This is typically the most optimal way to get services under contract.”
Hopper said future developments in direct-to-cell technology will shape the Defense Department's next contract with Iridium, which in 2019 won the Enhanced Mobile Satellite Services (EMSS) contract to provide Defense Department users with worldwide access to Iridium's satellite network, offering unlimited voice calls and narrowband data transmission.
Iridium is developing a new direct cell service called “Project Stardust” that will allow standard smartphones to connect to a LEO satellite network.
Hopper noted that the contract with Iridium is up for renewal in 2026. “Historically, we've had a very long and successful partnership with Iridium,” she said, “and we're already planning for what the next generation of this program will look like — not only for our partnership with Iridium, which we expect to continue, but also what capabilities may grow into EMSS.”
“We're really excited about the trajectory of this program and where it's going,” Hopper said. “We're looking at how to evolve EMSS in general … and the service plans that we offer may change as well.”
