An Android phone received the first text from space

Aerospace startup Lynk wants to launch cell tower technology into space to enable more seamless global connectivity. Though that seems like a pretty lofty goal, the company is now one step closer to achieving it. Lynk has just sent the first ever text to a smartphone from space.

The company sent the text from a low Earth orbit satellite to an unmodified Android phone on Earth on February 24, 2020. This technological breakthrough was observed by a third-party entity to validate the occurrence. You can watch the device receive the text on video here.

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Lynk is not the only company trying to take cell connectivity into space. It’s just the first one to successfully send a text using its technology. Now, Lynk is working with 30 different mobile network operators to bring this technology to market.

“With the permission of regulators, we are confident that we can bring a world-first solution to the market to tens-of-millions of people by the end of 2020,” said Lynk Co-founder and CEO Charles Miller.

Lynk and its investors believe that if and when the company deploys commercial services, it will become a more cost-effective way to connect mobile devices across the planet.

Earlier this month, Lynk launched its fourth satellite cell tower into space on the SpaceX CRS-20 mission. Using this spacecraft, Lynk will expand testing into additional countries this Summer.

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