ALBAWABA - In a pioneering achievement, a UK-based telecommunications firm asserts that it has accomplished the inaugural phone call with outer space.
However, the verification of this claim is paramount before it can be officially recognized as a historic milestone, as this conversation did not transpire with the International Space Station or any other space station.
Instead, it originated from a test satellite in orbit, answered via a 5G smartphone. While this feat is indeed remarkable, the verdict on whether it qualifies as the first phone call to space awaits confirmation.
This noteworthy conversation was facilitated by the Blue Walker 3 test satellite, positioned in low Earth orbit and operated by AST SpaceMobile, a satellite company.
José Guevara, a telecommunications professional based in Hawaii, received the call using a Samsung Galaxy S22, underlining the potential for similar communications using any 5G-enabled smartphone.
Blue Walker 3, acclaimed as one of the largest telecommunications satellites in orbit, achieved an additional milestone during these trials. In addition to testing mobile calls, the satellite also explored mobile internet capabilities, setting a new speed record during these tests.
The satellite connection achieved impressive download speeds of up to 14 Mbps. Much like SpaceX's Starlink initiative, which blankets the globe with a multitude of satellites, the UK-based telecommunications company aims to extend wireless internet access to the remotest corners of the world through this endeavor.
While SpaceX employs a strategy involving numerous satellite launches to establish a global satellite network, telecommunications companies intend to accomplish the same objective with fewer but more potent satellites.
