Micro-satellites lists
Micro-Satellites fall into the 10-100kg
category [small satellite classification], and many well known
early satellites appear in this list as launcher capacity was often limited. Also many of
the amateur satellites designated as OSCARS fall into this class as they make use of
launcher mass and volume margins. Traditional micro-satellites appear in the lists for 1957-1969 and 1970 to 1980.
Picture of Sputnik-I, the first artificial satellite.
Recently a renewed interest has developed for employing micro-satellites in the
scientific, commercial and military market, as technology has permitted sophisticated
payloads to be developed into smaller volumes. The lists are split into 'traditional' and
'modern' microsatellites, where the launch of the first small satellite carrying a
microprocessor is regarded as the start of the era of 'modern' microsatellites. Modern
micro-satellites are distinguished by carrying an on-board computer which permits them to
carry out in-orbit-programmable operations out of range of the groundstation. The first
modern microsatellites were launched in the early 1980's.
 This
list is restricted to those micro-satellites that made it to
the launcher, and is sorted in order of launch date. For micro-satellite missions still
under development, or waiting to be launched, refer to the future
missions page.
Small Satellite Numbers
Microsatellites are shown in red. Early peaks in microsatellite launch activity are
dominated by small disposable former Soviet Union tactical military communication
constellation satellites. Peaks in 1990 and 1991 are largely due to a sudden increase in interest by the US
military, with budget cuts causing the subsequent dip. The significant rise in 1998 is due to the launch of 18 satellites in the ORBCOMM constellation heralding the start of commercial
service provision though microsatellites.
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Firsts
The table below lists a number of significant firsts for microsatellites.
Event |
Micro-Satellite |
Date |
Comments |
| First (micro) satellite
launch |
Sputnik |
4 Oct 1957 |
|
| First microsatellite
with solar array and re-chargable batteries |
Vanguard-1 |
17 Mar 1958 |
|
| First amateur built
(micro)-satellite |
OSCAR-1 |
12 Dec 1961 |
|
| First commercially
acquired (micro) satellite |
Telstar-1 |
10 Jul 1962 |
|
| First (micro) satellite
placed in GEOsynchronous orbit |
Syncom-1 |
14 Feb 1963 |
|
| First (micro) satellite
employed in commercial service |
EarlyBird (F1) |
6 Apr 1965 |
|
| First microsatellite to
operate outside Earth orbit |
Pioneer 6 |
16 Oct 1965 |
Placed in Heliocentric
orbit by launcher |
| First microsatellite to
operate in lunar orbit |
Apollo-P&F1 |
4 Aug 1971 |
Placed there by Apollo
15 orbiter |
| First microsatellite
carrying a microprocessor |
UoSAT-1 |
6 Oct 1981 |
|
| First microsatellite
carrying station keeping control |
DARPA microsats |
16 Jul 1991 |
Cold Gas (N2)
Reaction Control system |
| First microsatellite to
demonstrate autonomous orbit determination |
PoSAT-1 |
26 Sep 1993 |
Carries GPS receiver |
| First
microsatellite demonstrating 3-axis stabilisation |
|
|
|
| First microsatellite to
leave Earth orbit using its own propulsive sub-system |
|
|
|
More...[small satellite classification]
| 
