A PocketQube is a type of miniaturized satellite for space research that usually has a size of cube with 5 cm sides (one eighth the volume of a CubeSat), has a mass of no more than 250 grams, and typically uses commercial off-the-shelf components for its electronics.
Beginning in 2009, Morehead State University (MSU) and Kentucky Space developed the PocketQube specifications to help universities worldwide to perform space science and exploration. While the bulk of development comes from academia, several companies build PocketQubes, such as Fossa Systems and Alba Orbital. Alba Orbital PocketQube projects have even been the subject of Kickstarter campaigns. The PocketQube format is also popular with amateur radio satellite builders.
Design
The PocketQube specification accomplishes several high-level goals. Simplification makes it possible to design and produce a workable satellite at low cost. Encapsulation of the launcher-payload interface takes away the prohibitive amount of managerial work previously required for mating a piggyback satellite with its launcher. Unification among payloads and launchers enables quick exchanges of payloads and utilization of launch opportunities on short notice. PocketQube is similar to CubeSat in this regard.
The standard was first proposed by Professor Bob Twiggs of Morehead State University, and the intention was for a satellite which could fit in a pocket, hence the name PocketQube.
Workshops
The first US workshop was held at NASA Ames and at Cape Canaveral in April 2014. There was a three-year gap until the next PocketQube workshop was held at TU Delft in The Netherlands in March 2017. The third workshop took place also at TU Delft in March 2018, with 22 presentations and 70 attendees. This is now an annual event for the PocketQube development community. In 2023 it was rebranded to the PocketQube conference to reflect the growth in the PocketQube community. It is held annually at the Glasgow University Union (GUU), in Glasgow, Scotland.
Launched Listed in ascending order by launch date. Indicates low altitude launch.
Orbital No Name Type Organisation Mission Launch Date (UTC) Rocket Mission Status Broker Decay date1 Beakersat-12.5pMorehead State University, Sonoma State UniversityTeaching Tool2013-11-21, 07:11DneprGAUSSDecay: 2019-2-132 $50Sat (Eagle-2) 1.5pAmateur GroupAmateur MissionDecay: 2018-5-183 QubeScout-S1 2.5pUniversity of Maryland, Baltimore CountySensor/dynamic attitude experiments4 WREN1pStadoko UGTech demo, Camera SSTV, 3 Axis Reaction Wheel and pp Thrusters Astria5pBCIT Satellite Launch ProgramTest structural feasibility at 30,000 feet for new design2018-6-21UBC Black TuskUBCSuborbital: 2018-6-21 TQube1pAmateurInsulation testing and recording of structural dynamics2019-10-11, 18:37NeutronTQubeSuborbital: 2019-10-115 SMOG-P1pBudapest University of Technology and Economics, HungaryMeasurement of the radio spectrum in the UHF TV band2019-12-6, 08:18Electron Alba OrbitalDecay: 2020-09-286 ATL-12pAdvanced Technology of LaserTest a new thermal isolation material in spaceDecay: 2020-10-97 FossaSat-11pFossa SystemsLoRa Demonstration & Deployable solar panels.Decay: 2020-10-288 Noor 1a (Unicorn-2b)3pStara SpaceExperimentalDecay: 2020-12-299 Noor 1b (Unicorn-2c)3pStara SpaceExperimentalDecay: 2020-04-710 TRSI1pTRSI ClubAmateur, testing novel receiverDecay: 2020-10-1311 DIY-1 / ARDUIQUBE1pDIYSATELLITETechnology Demonstrator2021-3-22, 06:07:12Soyuz-2.1a / FregatGAUSS12 STECCO6pSchool of Aerospace Engineering of Sapienza University of RomeLaser Ranging13 SMOG-11pBudapest University of Technology and Economics, HungaryMeasurement of the radio spectrum in the UHF TV band MDQube SAT-1 prototype1.25pInnova SpaceTechnology demonstration2021-6-11Aventura I-e2TLON SpaceSuborbital: 2021-6-1114 GENESIS N1.5pAMSAT EAAmateur Radio / Thruster Experiment2021-9-3, 01:59AlphaFOSSA System / Libre Space FoundationSuborbital: 2021-9-315 GENESIS L1.5pAMSAT EAAmateur Radio / Thruster Experiment16 QUBIK 11pLibre Space FoundationAmateur Radio / Technology Demonstrator17 QUBIK 21pLibre Space FoundationAmateur Radio / Technology Demonstrator18 FOSSASAT 1b1pFossa SystemsLoRa Demonstration19 FOSSASAT 22pFossa SystemsLoRa Demonstration20 Unicorn 12pAlba OrbitalInter-sat link2022-1-13, 15:25Falcon 9Alba Orbital / Exolaunch21 Unicorn 2A3pAlba OrbitalEarth observation22 Unicorn 2D3pAlba OrbitalEarth observation23 Unicorn 2E3pAlba OrbitalEarth observation24 Unicorn 2TA11pCarnegie Mellon UniversityEarth observation25 Delfi-PQ3pDelft University of TechnologyIoT26 Hades1.5pAMSAT EAAmateur radio27 EASAT-21.5pAMSAT EAAmateur radio / Science28 Sattla-2A2pAriel UniversityEducation29 Sattla-2B2pAriel UniversityEducation30 PION-BR11pPION LabsTechnology Demonstrator31 MDQube-SAT12pInnova SpaceTechnology Demonstrator32 Grizu-263a1pZonguldak Bülent Ecevit UniversityTechnology Demonstrator33 Challenger3pQuub / IntuidexTechnology DemonstratorFOSSA Systems / Exolaunch34 SanoSat-11pOrion SpaceTechnology Demonstrator35 WISeSAT-1 (FOSSASAT-2E1)2pWISeKeyIoT36 WISeSAT-2 (FOSSASAT-2E2)2pWISeKeyIoT37 CShark Pilot 1 (FOSSASAT-2E3)2pCSharkIoT38 Laika (FOSSASAT-2E4)2pPorkchopTechnology Demonstrator39 FOSSASAT-2E52pFOSSA SystemsIoT40 FOSSASAT-2E62pFOSSA SystemsIoT41 Unicorn-2F3pAlba OrbitalEarth observation2022-5-2, 22:49ElectronAlba Orbital42 TRSI-21pTRSI ClubAmateur radio43 TRSI-31pTRSI ClubAmateur radio44 MyRadar-11pACME AtronOmaticExperimental45 FOSSASAT-2E72pFOSSA SystemsIoT / Earth Exploration2022-5-25, 18:35Falcon 9FOSSA Systems / Momentus46 FOSSASAT-2E82pFOSSA SystemsIoT / Earth Exploration47 FOSSASAT-2E92pFOSSA SystemsIoT / Earth Exploration48 FOSSASAT-2E102pFOSSA SystemsIoT / Earth Exploration49 FOSSASAT-2E112pFOSSA SystemsIoT / Earth Exploration50 FOSSASAT-2E122pFOSSA SystemsIoT / Earth Exploration51 FOSSASAT-2E132pFOSSA SystemsIoT / Earth Exploration52 Canary Hatchling1pCareWeatherDemonstrator53 FOSSASAT-1B1pFOSSA SystemsIoT2022-10-1, 07:01AlphaLibre Space FoundationDecay: 2022-10-354 GENESIS-G/ASTROLAND-11.5pAMSAT EAAmateur RadioDecay: 2022-10-355 GENESIS-J/ASTROLAND-21.5pAMSAT EAAmateur RadioDecay: 2022-10-356 QUBIK-31pLibre Space FoundationAmateur Radio / Technology DemonstratorDecay: 2022-10-357 QUBIK-41pLibre Space FoundationAmateur Radio / Technology DemonstratorDecay: 2022-10-358 Unicorn-2G3pAlba OrbitalEarth observation2023-1-3 14:56Falcon 9Launcher59 Unicorn-2H3pAlba OrbitalEarth observation60 URESAT1.5pAMSAT EA / UREAmateur radio12 June 2023 21:35Falcon 9Alba Orbital61 MRC-100 (formerly SMOG-2)3pBudapest University of Technology and EconomicsRadio spectrum measurement, technology demonstration62 ROM-21pInternational Computer High School of BucharestEarth observation63 Unicorn-2I3pAlba OrbitalEarth observation64 Satlla-2I2pAriel UniversityEducation65 Istanbul1pHello SpaceIoT66 TinySat*1pStratonavtikaEarth Observation27 June 2023 11:34:49Soyuz-2.1b / FregatStratonavtika67 TinySat*1p68 TinySat*1p69 TinySat*1p70 TinySat*2p71 TinySat*2p72 HADES-D1.5pAMSAT EA / Hydra SpaceAmateur radio / Platform testing11 November 2023Falcon 9Alba Orbital73 ROM-31.5pFRREO74 SpaceANT-D1pSpaceInIOT75 U2 Tartan Artibeus-21pAlba Orbital/CMUTech Demo76 Unicorn-2J3pAlba OrbitalEO77 Unicorn-2K3pAlba OrbitalEO78 Hello Test 12pHello SpaceIOTMomentus79 Hello Test 22pHello SpaceIOT80 MDQubesat-22pInnova SpaceIOT1 December 2023Falcon 9Alba Orbital81 Unicorn-2L3pAlba OrbitalEO82 Unicorn-2M3pAlba OrbitalEO83 Unicorn-2N3pAlba OrbitalEO84 GENESIS-A1.5pAMSAT EA / Hydra SpaceAmateur radio9 July 2024Ariane 6ESA85 Skylink-13pHello SpaceIOT14 January 2025Falcon 9Alba Orbital86 Skylink-23pHello SpaceIOT87 HYPE1pAGH UniversitySelfie 88 PROMETHEUS-11pMinho UniversityEducation89 Poquito1pUniversity of LuxembourgTech Demo90 Hades-R1.5pHydra SpaceTech Demo91 Hades-T1.5pHydra SpaceIOT92 Unicorn-2O3pAlba OrbitalEarth Observation15th of March 2025Falcon 9Alba Orbital93 Unicorn-2P3pAlba OrbitalEarth Observation94 Unicorn-2Q3pAlba OrbitalEarth Observation95 Hades-ICM1.5pHYDRA SPACE / IC MERCURY / SMART IRVoice transponder, tech demo96 Hydra-W1.5pHydra SpaceIOT / Tech Demo97 ANISCSAT1p AzercosmosEducation 28th of November 2025Falcon 9Alba Orbital98 SARI-011pIdeia Space / Saudi Space AgencyEducation99 SARI-021pIdeia Space / Saudi Space AgencyEducation100 Hunity3p BMETechnology Demonstrator101 GalaxySat-11pGalaxy Explorer / Kevin TangTechnology Demonstrator / Science12th of January 2026, 10:18:30 UTCPSLV-C62AlltoSpace102 Orbital Temple1pIdeia Space / Edson PavoniArt103 UaiSat-11pLISE / UFSJIoT104 EduSat1pIdeia SpaceEducational Satellite105SpinnyONE2PHYDRA SPACE / Spinning AroundTechnology Demonstrator30th of March 2026Falcon 9Alba Orbital106 Vegafly-11pVegastar/Vietnam Amateur Radio Club (VARC)EO/Education107 Decimals-Sat11pOcullo SpaceDNA108 Unicorn-2R3pAlba OrbitalEarth Observation109 Unicorn-2S3pAlba OrbitalEarth Observation
* Tinysat do not follow the currently recognized PocketQube Mechanical standard as they deploy from a cubesat with a rail interface and not from a dedicated MR-Fod style PocketQube deployer on a tabbed baseplate (which all other orbital pocketqubes on the list have used). This makes them a variant of the PocketQube standard.
In development
Name Type Organisation Mission Launch Date (UTC) Rocket Broker Status Remarks Sustaino-11pEAK-OrbitalsInfrastructure Loss & Earth ObservationTBCFalcon 9Alba OrbitalIn developmentThe satellite will take images of Infrastructure During and after wars,floods etc to show the loss of infrastructure to local,provincial and national government. Delfi-Twins 3p x2Tu DelftTechnology Demonstrator & Education TBCTBCAlba OrbitalIn developmentFormation Flying & Drag Adjustable Wings TigerCub1pPrincetonEducationTBCTBCAlba OrbitalIn development AQUIS2pSpace Team AachenTechnology DemonstratorTBCTBCTBCIn developmentThe satellite will contain an in-house developed propulsion systemOzQube-11pPicosat SystemsEarth ObservationTBCTBCTBCIn developmentTeam Interview Discovery 1a 1p Quub, Inc. Camera / Photo Sat TBCTBC TBC In development Windform XT 2.0 based PocketQube testing of the shelf components for space use UoMBSat1 1p University of Malta + University of Birmingham Technology Demonstrator + Ionospheric Sounder TBC TBC TBC In development ASTREA Website @ UoM