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🛰️ SATELLITE · HISTORICAL RECORD

MDASat-1a

Re-entered 13 May 2025

MDASat-1a (NORAD 50995, COSPAR 2022-002M) was a ZA satellite that re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 13 May 2025, launched on 13 Jan 2022 on the Transporter-3 mission. It was operated by CPUT as part of the CPUT programme. The spacecraft was built by CPUT on the Cubesat 2U bus, with a mass of 3 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.

2022
launched
2025
re-entered
3
years on orbit
3
kg mass

Lifecycle

Launched13 Jan 2022 · on the Transporter-3 mission
Operational1 Apr 2025 · entered service
Retired1 Apr 2025 · end of operational service
Re-entered13 May 2025 · atmospheric re-entry — object destroyed

Specifications

NORAD ID50995
COSPAR2022-002M
TypeSatellite
OperatorCPUT
Country / StateZA
ManufacturerCPUT
BusCubesat 2U
Mass3 kg
ProgrammeCPUT
CategoryCOM
OrbitLEO (LLEO/S)
Altitude522 × 535 km
Inclination97.5°

Frequently asked questions

What happened to MDASat-1a?

MDASat-1a re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 13 May 2025, ending a mission that began with its launch in 2022. Objects in low orbits are gradually slowed by atmospheric drag until they fall back and burn up on re-entry.

When did MDASat-1a re-enter the atmosphere?

MDASat-1a re-entered on 13 May 2025, according to Orbital Radar's historical catalogue records.

Who operated and built MDASat-1a?

MDASat-1a was operated by CPUT and built by CPUT (ZA).

Launched together

FossaSat-2E2Re-entered 2023ICEYE-X16Re-entered 2024Dove 2481Re-entered 2024Dove 2492Re-entered 2024Dove 247fRe-entered 2024Dove 2474Re-entered 2024Tevel-1Re-entered 2024SATLLA-2BRe-entered 2023
Historical record from the Orbital Radar satellite archive. Sources & methodology: data sources. Accessed 2026-09-06.