NEW DELHI: US-based space technology startup Hubble Networks has established the first direct Bluetooth connection to a satellite 600 km away, a development that could help connect millions of devices anywhere.
The Seattle-based startup is backed by Transpose Platform and Y Combinator in a $20 million funding round.
On March 4, 2024, from the site of the Vandenberg Space Command Base in the United States, the Hubble network successfully launched its first two satellites.
“These are no ordinary satellites – they have successfully reached orbit and successfully received a signal from a simple 3.5mm Bluetooth chip over an incredible distance of 600 kilometers,” the startup announced in a blog post.
“We’ve defied thousands of skeptics by demonstrating that we can send a signal directly from a Bluetooth chip and receive it in space 600 kilometers away, opening up a new realm of possibility,” said Alex Haro, co-founder and CEO of the Hubble Network.
By allowing commercially available Bluetooth devices to connect to satellite networks without cellular reception with just a software update, it will “pave the way for a revolution in the Internet of Things (IoT).”
“Imagine global communication with 20 times less battery wear and 50 times less operational costs. This isn’t just an improvement, it’s a transformation,” the startup said.
In agriculture, farmers can make better use of existing low-power, low-cost sensors without the need for additional expensive space-enabled hardware, while in defense, where secure and reliable communications are paramount, the impacts are profound.
Hubble Network said it is already working with pilot customers in sectors including consumer devices, construction, infrastructure, supply chain and logistics, oil and gas and defense to explore further opportunities.
To be able to connect to Hubble’s network, users must integrate firmware into their device’s chipset.
With nearly 5 billion Bluetooth devices sold annually, the impact of this new connectivity could be enormous.
The Hubble Space Telescope is aiming to launch its third satellite on a SpaceX mission this year.
Published on May 03, 2024, 10:44 AM IST
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