Most of us use Bluetooth every day for tasks like streaming audio, sharing files, connecting to devices, and making hands-free calls.
This is because Bluetooth technology is typically designed for short-range communication between devices, and while the first generation had a very limited range of up to 30 feet, it now extends over 200 feet in real-world situations. This is because communication is possible.
After raising $20 million in a Series A funding round from Transpose Platform, Y Combinator, and others, tech startup Hubble Network has expanded on that funding to build Bluetooth connectivity from Earth to space.
Building a satellite network
The Hubble Network Blog explains: “On March 4, 2024, from the grounds of Vandenberg Space Force Base, Hubble successfully launched the first of his two satellites. These are not just satellites. They reach orbit and receive signals. I succeeded in doing so. [from Earth] Transmits an incredible 600 km from a simple 3.5 mm Bluetooth chip. ” Yes, that’s not a typo. 600 kilometers, which is about the same distance as New York City to Boston or London to Paris.
This development is important because traditional networks are slow to provide effective coverage in remote areas, consume too much power, and are often cost-prohibitive to operate on a global scale. Hubble’s approach directly addresses these issues by allowing standard Bluetooth devices to connect to satellite networks without cellular reception with just a software update.
Hubble’s global satellite network, which connects any Bluetooth-enabled device, can reportedly cover the entire world with 20x lower battery consumption and 50x lower operating costs. That’s it. The company says it can be used for a variety of tasks, including wildfire detection. Pet, child and elderly safety, environmental monitoring, fleet management, container and pallet tracking.
“Our innovative approach allows existing Bluetooth-enabled devices to be retrofitted to send data to the Hubble Network without any hardware changes,” said Ben Wilde, co-founder and CTO of Hubble Network. , ushering in a new era of connectivity.”
With nearly 5 billion Bluetooth devices sold each year, the impact of this breakthrough could be significant. The company currently has only two satellites in orbit, but plans to add two more by early next year and 32 more by the first quarter of 2026.
