SPACE INDEX COMPANIES INSIGHTS SECTORS PRODUCTS NEWS BLOG ANSWERS RESEARCH ABOUT FOR COMPANIES BUILD / 2026.06.04
AST SpaceMobile logo AST SpaceMobile Operates a space-based cellular broadband network delivering 4G and 5G connectivity directly to standard smartphones via LEO satellites vs K2 Space Designs and manufactures large-scale, high-power satellite platforms with in-house electric propulsion and avionics for multi-orbit missions K2 Space logo
HEAD-TO-HEAD1 shared sector
AST SpaceMobile K2 Space
Founded 2017 2022
Headquarters Midland, Texas Torrance, California
Type public private
Status operating operating
Employees 613 159
Total funding $429M
Latest round Series C
Sectors Satellite Communications, Ground Segment & Networks, Satellite Manufacturing Satellite Manufacturing, Satellite Components & Subsystems, Space Propulsion
Products listed 5 3
Federal contracts
Launches
Leaders listed Abel Avellan, Scott Wisniewski, Andrew Johnson Karan Kunjur, Neel Kunjur, John Plumb
News mentions 1 0
SHARED SECTORS
FREQUENTLY ASKED

How do AST SpaceMobile and K2 Space compare?

Both companies work in Satellite Manufacturing. AST SpaceMobile was founded in 2017 and K2 Space in 2022.

Which is larger, AST SpaceMobile or K2 Space?

AST SpaceMobile reports the larger workforce, with 613 employees versus 159.

Numbers refresh on every render against the live Space Index database. Federal contract data from USAspending.gov; launches from LaunchLibrary2.