Hubble Network claims they can connect regular Bluetooth devices to satellites. Standard Bluetooth range is about 30 feet, satellites are hundreds of miles up, so there are obvious technical challenges.
They say their satellites can detect Bluetooth Low Energy signals from space without requiring special hardware on the device side. That would be impressive if it works - basically any existing Bluetooth device could get satellite connectivity.
Not sure exactly how they solved the range and signal strength issues, but they convinced investors it's possible.
Why Investors Are Throwing Money at This
Investors are betting on this because IoT is everywhere but most remote devices have shit connectivity. Agriculture companies need to track sensors in the middle of nowhere, shipping companies want to monitor cargo containers across oceans, and energy companies have equipment in places where cell towers don't exist.
Plus SpaceX made launching satellites way cheaper than the old days when it cost hundreds of millions.
Potential Use Cases
The target market seems to be industries that need connectivity in remote areas:
Agriculture: Tracking soil sensors and livestock across large areas without cell coverage.
Shipping: Monitoring cargo containers and ship systems when crossing oceans.
Energy: Oil and gas infrastructure monitoring in remote locations.
Emergency response: Communication when cellular networks are down or unavailable.
Advantage Over Existing Solutions
Current satellite IoT needs specialized hardware that costs hundreds or thousands of dollars. Companies like Iridium and Globalstar have proven systems but require custom modems.
Hubble's approach would let existing Bluetooth devices connect to satellites without hardware changes. That could be a significant cost advantage if it works reliably.
The trade-off is that existing satellite providers have proven track records, while this is unproven technology at scale.
Technical Challenges
There are obvious technical hurdles to overcome:
Range: Bluetooth is designed for short distances, not satellite communication.
Power: Devices would need to transmit much stronger signals to reach orbit, which could drain batteries faster.
Connectivity: Satellites move quickly relative to ground devices, making consistent connections challenging.
They raised $70M because they probably got it working in a lab, but lab demos are very different from thousands of satellites talking to millions of Bluetooth devices. Most satellite startups burn through funding and fail spectacularly.
Business Model and Pricing
The economics need to work for customers to adopt this. They'll likely charge per device per month, which could add up for companies tracking many sensors.
Industries that already pay for satellite connectivity might find this attractive if it's cheaper than current options and works with existing devices.
The investor appeal is obvious - recurring revenue from millions of potential Bluetooth devices. Whether that translates to a sustainable business depends on execution.
Challenges Ahead
Several things need to go right for this to succeed:
Satellite deployment: They need enough satellites for global coverage, which requires multiple launches and significant capital.
Regulatory approval: Satellite communications are heavily regulated globally, so getting permissions could be time-consuming.
Device compatibility: Bluetooth implementations vary across manufacturers and platforms. Making this work consistently across all devices won't be simple.
Customer adoption: Convincing industries to switch from proven satellite solutions to new technology requires demonstrating clear advantages.
Will It Work?
They convinced investors to give them $70M, which means they probably have something working. But satellite startups have a long history of burning through hundreds of millions before failing. Remember Swarm? SpaceX bought them for parts.
If Hubble actually pulls this off, it'll disrupt the entire satellite IoT industry. If not, it'll join the graveyard of satellite companies that looked great on paper but couldn't make the physics work at scale.