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Microstar Satellite Bus

Data current as of 2026-07-20.

The Microstar bus accounts for 57 cataloged objects, of which 46 are in orbit and 7 are active. 11 have reentered. Most are built by OSCG. The largest operator on this bus is Orbcomm. The first launched in 1995, the most recent in 2018.

46
In orbit
7
Active
57
Total launched
11
Reentered

Microstar launched per year

5 10 15 20 1995: 3 objects launched 1996: 0 objects launched 1997: 8 objects launched 1998: 19 launched, 1 since reentered 1999: 8 objects launched 2000: 0 objects launched 2001: 0 objects launched 2002: 0 objects launched 2003: 0 objects launched 2004: 0 objects launched 2005: 0 objects launched 2006: 6 objects launched 2007: 0 objects launched 2008: 1 object launched 2009: 0 objects launched 2010: 0 objects launched 2011: 0 objects launched 2012: 0 objects launched 2013: 0 objects launched 2014: 0 objects launched 2015: 0 objects launched 2016: 0 objects launched 2017: 0 objects launched 2018: 12 launched, 10 since reentered 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015
Still in orbit Since reentered Click a year to list its satellites.

Typical specifications

Most common values across cataloged Microstar satellites.

Manufacturer OSCG
Purpose Communication M2M/IoT
Launch mass 42 kg
Dry mass 42 kg
Length 0.2 m
Diameter 1 m
Span 4.3 m
Shape Cyl + 2 Pan + Ant
Power 2 deployable solar arrays, batteries
Propulsion ?
Design life 4 years
Equipment Orbcomm payload
Typical orbit 100 min period, 45° inclination

Top operators

Orbcomm 35 NSPO 6 CECOM 1 NASA 1 ORBI 1 TELD 1

Top countries

US 51 TW 6

Microstar satellites

Track any of them live in KeepTrack.

Name NORAD COSPAR Owner Launched Orbit Status Track
ORBCOMM FM16 DEB deb Orbcomm FM16 44028 1998-046X ORBC Dec 22, 2018 91 min, 45.3° Reentered ◉
ORBCOMM FM16 DEB deb Orbcomm FM16 44027 1998-046W ORBC Dec 22, 2018 92 min, 45.3° Reentered ◉
ORBCOMM FM16 DEB deb Orbcomm FM16 44026 1998-046V ORBC Dec 22, 2018 95 min, 45.3° Reentered ◉
ORBCOMM FM16 DEB deb Orbcomm FM16 44025 1998-046U ORBC Dec 22, 2018 104 min, 45.3° Reentered ◉
ORBCOMM FM16 DEB deb Orbcomm FM16 44024 1998-046T ORBC Dec 22, 2018 100 min, 45.0° Inactive ◉
ORBCOMM FM16 DEB deb Orbcomm FM16 44023 1998-046S ORBC Dec 22, 2018 100 min, 45.0° Inactive ◉
ORBCOMM FM16 DEB deb Orbcomm FM16 44022 1998-046R ORBC Dec 22, 2018 95 min, 45.4° Reentered ◉
ORBCOMM FM16 DEB deb Orbcomm FM16 44021 1998-046Q ORBC Dec 22, 2018 94 min, 45.7° Reentered ◉
ORBCOMM FM16 DEB deb Orbcomm FM16 44020 1998-046P ORBC Dec 22, 2018 92 min, 45.2° Reentered ◉
ORBCOMM FM16 DEB deb Orbcomm FM16 44019 1998-046N ORBC Dec 22, 2018 98 min, 45.4° Reentered ◉
ORBCOMM FM16 DEB deb Orbcomm FM16 44018 1998-046M ORBC Dec 22, 2018 96 min, 45.3° Reentered ◉
ORBCOMM FM16 DEB deb Orbcomm FM16 44017 1998-046L ORBC Dec 22, 2018 95 min, 45.5° Reentered ◉
IBEX IBEX 33401 2008-051A GSFC Oct 19, 2008 13151 min, 46.3° Active ◉
FORMOSAT-3 FM2 COSMIC 1-2 29052 2006-011F NSPO Apr 15, 2006 101 min, 72.0° Inactive ◉
FORMOSAT-3 FM4 COSMIC 1-4 29051 2006-011E NSPO Apr 15, 2006 101 min, 72.0° Inactive ◉
FORMOSAT-3 FM3 COSMIC 1-3 29050 2006-011D NSPO Apr 15, 2006 98 min, 72.0° Inactive ◉
FORMOSAT-3 FM5 COSMIC 1-5 29049 2006-011C NSPO Apr 15, 2006 101 min, 72.0° Inactive ◉
FORMOSAT-3 FM1 COSMIC 1-1 29048 2006-011B NSPO Apr 15, 2006 101 min, 72.0° Inactive ◉
FORMOSAT-3 FM6 COSMIC 1-6 29047 2006-011A NSPO Apr 15, 2006 101 min, 72.0° Inactive ◉
ORBCOMM FM34 Orbcomm D6 25986 1999-065G ORBC Dec 4, 1999 100 min, 45.0° Inactive ◉
ORBCOMM FM35 Orbcomm D7 25985 1999-065F ORBC Dec 4, 1999 100 min, 45.0° Inactive ◉
ORBCOMM FM36 Orbcomm D8 25984 1999-065E ORBC Dec 4, 1999 100 min, 45.0° Inactive ◉
ORBCOMM FM33 Orbcomm D5 25983 1999-065D ORBC Dec 4, 1999 100 min, 45.0° Inactive ◉
ORBCOMM FM32 Orbcomm D4 25982 1999-065C ORBC Dec 4, 1999 100 min, 45.0° Active ◉
ORBCOMM FM31 Orbcomm D3 25981 1999-065B ORBC Dec 4, 1999 100 min, 45.0° Inactive ◉
ORBCOMM FM30 Orbcomm D2 25980 1999-065A ORBC Dec 4, 1999 100 min, 45.0° Inactive ◉
MUBLCOM MUBLCOM 25736 1999-026B CECOM May 18, 1999 99 min, 97.7° Inactive ◉
ORBCOMM FM28 Orbcomm C8 25482 1998-053H ORBC Sep 23, 1998 100 min, 45.0° Inactive ◉
ORBCOMM FM27 Orbcomm C7 25481 1998-053G ORBC Sep 23, 1998 100 min, 45.0° Active ◉
ORBCOMM FM26 Orbcomm C6 25480 1998-053F ORBC Sep 23, 1998 100 min, 45.0° Inactive ◉
ORBCOMM FM25 Orbcomm C5 25479 1998-053E ORBC Sep 23, 1998 100 min, 45.0° Inactive ◉
ORBCOMM FM24 Orbcomm C4 25478 1998-053D ORBC Sep 23, 1998 100 min, 45.0° Inactive ◉
ORBCOMM FM23 Orbcomm C3 25477 1998-053C ORBC Sep 23, 1998 100 min, 45.0° Inactive ◉
ORBCOMM FM22 Orbcomm C2 25476 1998-053B ORBC Sep 23, 1998 100 min, 45.0° Inactive ◉
ORBCOMM FM21 Orbcomm C1 25475 1998-053A ORBC Sep 23, 1998 100 min, 45.0° Inactive ◉
ORBCOMM FM13 Orbcomm B1 25420 1998-046H ORBC Aug 2, 1998 100 min, 45.0° Inactive ◉
ORBCOMM FM14 Orbcomm B2 25419 1998-046G ORBC Aug 2, 1998 100 min, 45.0° Inactive ◉
ORBCOMM FM15 Orbcomm B3 25418 1998-046F ORBC Aug 2, 1998 100 min, 45.0° Inactive ◉
ORBCOMM FM16 Orbcomm B4 25417 1998-046E ORBC Aug 2, 1998 100 min, 45.0° Inactive ◉
ORBCOMM FM20 Orbcomm B8 25416 1998-046D ORBC Aug 2, 1998 100 min, 45.0° Active ◉
ORBCOMM FM19 Orbcomm B7 25415 1998-046C ORBC Aug 2, 1998 100 min, 45.0° Active ◉
ORBCOMM FM18 Orbcomm B6 25414 1998-046B ORBC Aug 2, 1998 100 min, 45.0° Inactive ◉
ORBCOMM FM17 Orbcomm B5 25413 1998-046A ORBC Aug 2, 1998 100 min, 45.0° Inactive ◉
BATSAT T1 25234 1998-012B TELD Feb 26, 1998 87 min, 97.6° Reentered ◉
ORBCOMM FM04 Orbcomm G2 25159 1998-007C ORBC Feb 10, 1998 100 min, 108.0° Active ◉
ORBCOMM FM03 Orbcomm G1 25158 1998-007B ORBC Feb 10, 1998 100 min, 108.0° Inactive ◉
ORBCOMM FM07 Orbcomm A3 25119 1997-084H ORBC Dec 23, 1997 99 min, 45.0° Inactive ◉
ORBCOMM FM06 Orbcomm A2 25118 1997-084G ORBC Dec 23, 1997 99 min, 45.0° Active ◉
ORBCOMM FM05 Orbcomm A1 25117 1997-084F ORBC Dec 23, 1997 99 min, 45.0° Inactive ◉
ORBCOMM FM09 Orbcomm A5 25116 1997-084E ORBC Dec 23, 1997 100 min, 45.0° Inactive ◉
ORBCOMM FM12 Orbcomm A8 25115 1997-084D ORBC Dec 23, 1997 100 min, 45.0° Inactive ◉
ORBCOMM FM11 Orbcomm A7 25114 1997-084C ORBC Dec 23, 1997 100 min, 45.0° Inactive ◉
ORBCOMM FM10 Orbcomm A6 25113 1997-084B ORBC Dec 23, 1997 100 min, 45.0° Inactive ◉
ORBCOMM FM08 Orbcomm A4 25112 1997-084A ORBC Dec 23, 1997 99 min, 45.0° Inactive ◉
ORBVIEW 1 (MICROLAB) OrbView-1 23547 1995-017C ORBI Apr 3, 1995 98 min, 70.0° Inactive ◉
ORBCOMM FM02 Orbcomm F2 23546 1995-017B ORBC Apr 3, 1995 96 min, 70.0° Inactive ◉
ORBCOMM FM01 Orbcomm F1 23545 1995-017A ORBC Apr 3, 1995 96 min, 70.0° Inactive ◉

Frequently asked questions

How many Microstar satellites are there?

The catalog lists 57 objects built on the Microstar bus. 46 are in orbit and 11 have reentered.

How many Microstar satellites are in orbit?

46 Microstar objects are currently in orbit, of which 7 carry an active status.

Who builds the Microstar bus?

The Microstar bus is most commonly built by OSCG.

When did the first Microstar satellite launch?

The first cataloged Microstar satellite launched in 1995, and the most recent in 2018.

← All buses Satellite catalog
Satellite data compiled by KeepTrack from CelesTrak, Space-Track, and GCAT, provided under CC BY-NC 4.0.