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QB50-US01/QBUS 1

Re-entered 12 Aug 2018

QB50-US01/QBUS 1 (NORAD 42721, COSPAR 1998-067MA) was a US satellite that re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 12 Aug 2018, launched on 18 Apr 2017 on the 77KM No. 17501 mission. It was operated by UCO / QBUS as part of the UCO programme. The spacecraft was built by UCO on the Cubesat 2U bus, with a mass of 2 kg. Like most satellites in low orbits, it was gradually slowed by atmospheric drag until re-entry. Historical record from Orbital Radar's satellite archive, cross-referenced with the live satellite catalogue.

2017
launched
2018
re-entered
1
year on orbit
2
kg mass

Lifecycle

Launched18 Apr 2017 · on the 77KM No. 17501 mission
Operational1 Aug 2018 · entered service
Retired1 Aug 2018 · end of operational service
Re-entered12 Aug 2018 · atmospheric re-entry — object destroyed

Specifications

NORAD ID42721
COSPAR1998-067MA
TypeSatellite
OperatorUCO / QBUS
Country / StateUS
ManufacturerUCO
BusCubesat 2U
Mass2 kg
ProgrammeUCO
CategorySCI
OrbitLEO (LLEO/I)
Altitude398 × 408 km
Inclination51.6°

Frequently asked questions

What happened to QB50-US01/QBUS 1?

QB50-US01/QBUS 1 re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 12 Aug 2018, ending a mission that began with its launch in 2017. Objects in low orbits are gradually slowed by atmospheric drag until they fall back and burn up on re-entry.

When did QB50-US01/QBUS 1 re-enter the atmosphere?

QB50-US01/QBUS 1 re-entered on 12 Aug 2018, according to Orbital Radar's historical catalogue records.

Who operated and built QB50-US01/QBUS 1?

QB50-US01/QBUS 1 was operated by UCO / QBUS and built by UCO (US).

Launched together

QB50-TR02Re-entered 2019QB50-DE02Re-entered 2019QB50-US04/QBUS 4Re-entered 2018KySat-3Re-entered 2018CXBN-2Re-entered 2019IceCubeRe-entered 2018QB50-TW01Re-entered 2019QB50-FR01Re-entered 2019
Historical record from the Orbital Radar satellite archive. Sources & methodology: data sources. Accessed 2026-09-06.