Hubble Network, a Tampa, Florida-based startup specializing in space-based Bluetooth connectivity, has chosen Muon Space's MuSat XL satellite platform as its primary technology partner. Muon Space, a California-based company, will provide two 500-kilogram MuSat XL satellites for Hubble's ambitious project.
Scheduled for launch in 2027, these satellites represent a significant upgrade from Hubble's previous collaboration with Spire Global, which involved smaller cubesats. “Muon’s platform gives us the scale and power to build a true Bluetooth layer around the Earth,” explained Hubble co-founder and CEO Alex Haro. The initial deployment will offer a 12-hour global revisit time for Hubble’s network, functioning as a space-based alternative to services like Apple’s Find My and Google’s Find My Device.
Muon Space highlights the enhanced capabilities of the MuSat XL platform. The larger satellites allow for a receiver twenty times more powerful than those used on previous cubesats, achieving Bluetooth detection with 30 times lower power consumption. This will enable connectivity for low-cost, energy-efficient devices. Hubble's long-term goal is to deploy 96 satellites by 2028, supporting connectivity for up to a billion devices globally.
Muon Space President Gregory Smirin emphasized the significance of this scale-up: “Scaling up to a 500 kg-class platform with MuSat XL is a significant leap because it dramatically broadens the mission profile we can support.” The increased capacity allows for more demanding payloads, enhanced onboard processing, and real-time operations crucial for various applications, including defense, climate monitoring, and commercial uses.
This collaboration comes as Muon Space expands its operations, fueled by a recent $90 million capital infusion. Smirin notes the growing demand for larger LEO satellites, stating, “Over the past year, demand for the XL class has grown significantly, with increased interest coming from both commercial and government sectors.” The innovative approach by Hubble and Muon Space anticipates the future of satellite-based connectivity, and further competition in the burgeoning space-based IoT market is already emerging, as evidenced by startups like LinkZill pursuing a similar technology.