Australia-based Sky and Space Global (SAS) has performed the world's first voice call using its 3 Diamonds commercial demonstration nano-satellite constellation as part of a series of tests carried out in the last few days.

Users were also able to exchange messages, voice recordings and images via the satellites, which were initially launched into space in June.

A standard smartphone, as well as SAS proprietary hardware and applications, were also used during the tests.

The newly tested technology is expected to deliver low-cost satellite connectivity in remote locations and emerging markets that currently have no access to a communications network infrastructure. 

Sky and Space Global CEO and managing director Meir Moalem said: “This is a great achievement for Sky and Space Global, and we are very pleased to be announcing this news and setting a precedent in the satellite communications industry.

“After months of hard work we are starting to put our vision into practice. Our technology works.

"Now we have passed this critical technical milestone, we can turn our full attention to our constellation to be fully deployed by 2020."

"Demonstrating that our nano-satellites are capable of facilitating services such as sending a text message and conducting a voice call at a very low cost is an important step forward on our route to providing affordable communication services to anyone, anywhere, anytime.

“Now we have passed this critical technical milestone, we can turn our full attention to our constellation to be fully deployed by 2020.”

The newly completed tests also verified the ‘store and forward’ capability of SAS' technology, which is able to send a message to the satellite, store it in the satellite's memory and then download it to a receiver.

SAS has further confirmed that its services can offer indoor connectivity, which can be used by users by installing a radio frequency (RF) section on a rooftop or another outdoor area and connecting it to an indoor Wi-Fi hot-spot to add multiple users to the network.

The company noted that it aims to develop a constellation of 200 nano-satellites to provide coverage in the equatorial belt by 2020.