Tech startup connects to two satellites in orbit via Bluetooth β using a standard chip and a software update
Most of us use Bluetooth every day for tasks like streaming audio, sharing files, connecting to devices, and making hands-free calls.
That’s because Bluetooth technology is typically designed for short-distance communication between devices, and while the first generations had a very limited range of up to 30 feet, it can now reach more than 200 feet in real-world conditions.
Tech startup Hubble Networkwhich has secured a $20 million Series A funding round from the likes of Transpose Platform and Y Combinator, has managed to expand that even further by creating a Bluetooth connection from Earth to space.
Building a network of satellites
As the Hubble Network Blog explains: βOn March 4, 2024, Hubble successfully launched its first two satellites from the Vandenberg Space Force Base grounds. These aren’t just any satellites; they successfully reached orbit and managed to receive signals (from Earth) from a simple 3.5mm Bluetooth chip over an astonishing distance of 600 km.β Yes, that’s not a typo. 600 kilometers, which is about the same distance from New York City to Boston, or from London to Paris.
This development is important because traditional networks often lag behind in providing effective coverage in remote areas, consume too much power and are prohibitively expensive to operate on a global scale. Hubble’s approach addresses these issues head-on by allowing standard Bluetooth devices to connect to their satellite network without cellular reception, simply with a software update.
Hubble’s global satellite network, which allows any Bluetooth device to connect, reportedly provides global coverage with 20 times less battery consumption and lowers operating costs by a factor of 50. The startup says it can be used for various tasks, such as detecting wildfires , pet, child and elderly safety, environmental monitoring, fleet management and container and pallet tracking.
Ben Wild, co-founder and CTO of Hubble Network said: βOur innovative approach allows existing Bluetooth devices to be retrofitted to transmit data to the Hubble Network without any hardware modifications, ushering in a new era of connectivity. β
With nearly five billion Bluetooth devices sold each year, the impact of this breakthrough could be enormous. Although the company currently only has two satellites in orbit, it plans to add two more early next year, with another 32 satellites to follow in the first quarter of 2026.