Encyclopedia Astronautica Index: Q

QB50P1 - Technology, thermospheric research satellite built by ISIS for von Karman Institute, Belgium. Launched 2014. Part of a constellation of 50 CubeSats built by university teams to study the lower thermosphere. Cubesat 2U bus. First Launch: 2014-06-19. Last Launch: 2014-06-19. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 2.00 kg (4.40 lb).

QB50P2 - Technology, thermospheric research satellite built by ISIS for von Karman Institute, Belgium. Launched 2014. Cubesat 2U bus. First Launch: 2014-06-19. Last Launch: 2014-06-19. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 2.00 kg (4.40 lb).

qbee50-LTU-OC - Technology, thermospheric research satellite built by Luleå Tekniska Universitet, Open Cosmos for Luleå Tekniska Universitet, Sweden. Launched 2017. Cubesat 2U bus. First Launch: 2017-04-18. Last Launch: 2017-04-18. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 2.00 kg (4.40 lb).

QBITO - Technology, thermospheric research satellite for Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Spain. Launched 2017. Cubesat 2U bus. First Launch: 2017-04-18. Last Launch: 2017-04-18. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 2.00 kg (4.40 lb).

QBScout - 2.5P PocketQube Cubesat from University of Maryland/Baltimore County.

QBUS 1 - Technology, thermospheric research satellite for University of Colorado Boulder, USA. Launched 2017. Cubesat 2U bus. First Launch: 2017-04-18. Last Launch: 2017-04-18. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 2.00 kg (4.40 lb).

QBUS 2 - Technology, thermospheric research satellite for University of Michigan, USA. Launched 2017. Cubesat 2U bus. First Launch: 2017-04-18. Last Launch: 2017-04-18. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 2.00 kg (4.40 lb).

QBUS 3 - Technology, thermospheric research satellite for Stanford University, USA. Cubesat 2U bus. Gross mass: 2.00 kg (4.40 lb).

QBUS 4 - Technology, thermospheric research satellite for Universidad del Turabo, Puerto Rico, USA. Launched 2017. Cubesat 2U bus. First Launch: 2017-04-18. Last Launch: 2017-04-18. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 2.00 kg (4.40 lb).

QbX 1, 2 - Technology satellite built by Pumpkin Inc of San Francisco for the National Reconnaissance Office's Colony-1 technology development project. Successful. Launched 2010. Cubesat 3U bus. First Launch: 2010-12-08. Last Launch: 2010-12-08. Number: 2 . Gross mass: 5.00 kg (11.00 lb).

QF-80 - American F-80 Shooting Star fighters were converted to radio-controlled drones.

QH-50 DASH - American Drone Anti-Submarine Helicopter.

Qi Faren - Chinese chief designer. Chief Designer for Chinese Spacecraft, 1992-on, succeeding Qian. Led development of Shenzhou, 1992-1999. Engineering education in Russia, 1958-1960; participated in design of first Chinese satellite, DFH-1, in 1960's. Born: 1933.

Qiam 1 - Iranian missile derived from R-17 via North Korea. Status: Active. First Launch: 2010-08-20. Last Launch: 2018-10-01. Number: 4 .

Qinetiq - Australian agency. Qinetiq, Australia.

Qom - Military testing range, located near this Iranian religious center. First Launch: 1991-05-01. Last Launch: 1991-05-01. Number: 1 .

Q-PACE - Microgravity satellite for University of Central Florida (UCF), USA. Cubesat 2U bus.

QQW - Chinese atmospheric balloon experiment, part of the SJ series.

QQW 1, 2 - Chinese balloon satellites for studies of the density of the upper atmosphere. First Launch: 1990-09-03. Last Launch: 1990-09-03. Number: 2 . Gross mass: 3.00 kg (6.60 lb).

QSAT - Alternate name for Tsukushi.

QSAT-EOS - Technology, Earth observation satellite for Kyushu University, Japan. Launched 2014. First Launch: 2014-11-06. Last Launch: 2014-11-06. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 49 kg (108 lb).

QSO - Abbreviation for Quasi-Stellar Object

QSS - Science satellite built by CAS (prime) for Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), China. Launched 2016. First Launch: 2016-08-15. Last Launch: 2016-08-15. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 500 kg (1,100 lb).

Quad - American manned lunar lander. Study 2009. Prototype lunar lander developed by Armadillo Aerospace with private funds. Quad was the only entry in the 2006 competition for the X-Prize Cup Lunar Lander challenge. Status: Study 2009. Gross mass: 680 kg (1,490 lb). Unfuelled mass: 290 kg (630 lb). Thrust: 13.40 kN (3,012 lbf). More at: Lox/Alcohol

Quad Deacon - American test vehicle. Single stage vehicle consisting of 4 Deacons fired in parallel. Status: Retired 1954. First Launch: 1953-01-14. Last Launch: 1954-03-26. Number: 2 . Gross mass: 100 kg (220 lb). Thrust: 100.00 kN (22,480 lbf).

Quail - Alternate name of Shelduck MQM-36.

Quail ADM-20 - McDonnell 1950's USAF air-to-surface missile.

Quail ADM-20A - American decoy missile. Gross mass: 558 kg (1,230 lb). Thrust: 10.88 kN (2,446 lbf).

Quail ADM-20C - American decoy missile. Gross mass: 544 kg (1,199 lb).

Quail KD4G - Globe late 1940's US Navy anti-aircraft missile.

QuakeFinder - American agency. QuakeFinder, USA.

QuakeSat 1 - Earth sciences satellite built by Stanford University for QuakeFinder, LCC, USA. Launched 2003. used for detection of ELF radio emissions from seismic activity. Successful. Cubesat triple bus. First Launch: 2003-06-30. Last Launch: 2003-06-30. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 4.00 kg (8.80 lb).

Quarles, Donald A - American manager, secretary of the Air Force 1955 -1957, deputy secretary of defense 1957- 1959. Played a key role in the Vanguard-Jupiter satellite launcher dispute. Born: 1894. Died: 1959-01-01.

Quasar - Classified communications and data relay satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office. Status: Operational 1976. First Launch: 1976-06-02. Last Launch: 2014-05-22. Number: 17 .

Quasar 20 - Comsat / Relay satellite for NRO, USA. Launched 2016. First Launch: 2016-07-28. Last Launch: 2016-07-28. Number: 1 .

Quayle, J Danforth 'Dan' - American politician, Vice President 1989-1993, headed National Space Council, involved in development of space station and its conversion from a national to an international projects. Born: 1947-02-04.

QubeScout S1 - Technology satellite for University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), USA. Launched 2013. Used the 2.5U PocketQube bus. First Launch: 2013-11-21. Last Launch: 2013-11-21. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 0 kg (0 lb).

QUESS - Alternate name of QSS (QUESS, Mozi).

Quest 1 - Technology, education satellite for Valley Christian High School's AMSE Institute, Quest Institute for Quality Education, USA. Cubesat 1U bus. Gross mass: 1.00 kg (2.20 lb).

QUESTOL - Quiet, experimental, short takeoff and landing aircraft .

Quetzsat - Communications satellite series leased to Echostar.

QuetzSat 1 - Communication satellite built by Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) for QuetzSat SRL de CV (SES Satellite Leasing Limited, Grupo Medcom/Mexico), Mexico. Launched 2011. Used the SSL-1300 bus. First Launch: 2011-09-29. Last Launch: 2011-09-29. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 5,514 kg (12,156 lb).

Quick Reach - American low cost orbital launch vehicle. Family of low-cost space boosters under development by AirLaunch LLC under DARPA and NASA contracts in 2007-2008. Status: Development.

Quick Reach 1 - American low cost orbital launch vehicle. Low-cost air-launched pressure-fed liquid oxygen/propane launch vehicle developed under DARPA's Falcon program. Status: In development. Gross mass: 32,650 kg (71,980 lb). Payload: 635 kg (1,399 lb).

Quick Reach 2 - American low cost orbital launch vehicle. Enlarged version of the Quick Reach launch vehicle proposed to launch the t/Space CXV manned spacecraft. The concept built on both Quick Reach and SpaceShipOne to produce a low-cost air-launched man-rated pressure-fed liquid oxygen/propane launch vehicle. Status: Design 2005. Gross mass: 87,000 kg (191,000 lb). Payload: 3,700 kg (8,100 lb).

QuickBird - American civilian surveillance satellite. One launch, 2001.10.18. The QuickBird commercial imaging satellite was owned by DigitalGlobe (formerly EarthWatch) and used a Ball BCP2000 bus with a launch mass of 1028 kg and a dry mass of about 995 kg. Earth observing satellite built by Ball Aerospace for Earthwatch Inc. => DigitalGlobe, USA. Launched 2000 - 2001. Used the BCP-2000 bus. Status: Operational 2001. First Launch: 2000-11-20. Last Launch: 2001-10-18. Number: 2 . Gross mass: 1,028 kg (2,266 lb). Unfuelled mass: 995 kg (2,193 lb).

QuikScat - American earth sea satellite. One launch, 1999.06.20. Built under a NASA rapid delivery contract. Carried the SeaWinds scatterometer for remote sensing of ocean winds. Earth observing satellite built by Ball Aerospace for NASA, USA. Launched 1999. Used the BCP-2000 bus. Status: Operational 1999. First Launch: 1999-06-19. Last Launch: 1999-06-19. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 970 kg (2,130 lb).

QuikTOMS - Earth observing satellite built by Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC) for NASA, USA. Launched 2001. Used the MicroStar (double) bus. First Launch: 2001-09-21. Last Launch: 2001-09-21. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 166 kg (365 lb).

QuikTOMS - The QuikTOMS satellite was a NASA-GSFC project carrying the TOMS-5 ozone mapper. QuikTOMS used a 168 kg double Microstar bus and was to have replaced TOMS instruments on a delayed Russian weather satellite and the failed ADEOS.

Quill - American surveillance radarsat. First test of a side-looking radar from outer space. The mission lasted only four days, as planned, delivering by radio link and a reentry capsule imagery with a resolution of 4 m over an area of 100,000 square kilometers. Reconnaissance, Radar (Tape return type) satellite built by Lockheed, Goodyear, Environmental Research Institute of Michigan for NRO, USA. Launched 1964. Status: Operational 1964. First Launch: 1964-12-21. Last Launch: 1964-12-21. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 1,250 kg (2,750 lb).

Quistgaard, Erik - European Manager. Erik Quistgaard, was the Director General of the European Space Agency from 1980-1984. As head of ESA, he oversaw the Ariane rocket's development and Spacelab's many contributions to space science. Born: 1921-06-03. Died: 2013-02-11.

QZS - Quasi-Zenith Satellite System using the DS2000 bus; carried L-band navigation payload to augment GPS and a C-band transponder for communications. Placed in an inclined geosynchronous orbit that brings nearly overhead of Japan at peak usage hours.

QZS - QZS

QZS 1 - Navigation satellite built by Mitsubishi Electric (MELCO) for JAXA, Japan. Launched 2010. Used the DS-2000 bus. First Launch: 2010-09-11. Last Launch: 2010-09-11. Number: 1 . Gross mass: 4,100 kg (9,000 lb).

QZS 2, 4 - Navigation satellite built by Mitsubishi Electric (MELCO) for JAXA, Japan. Used the DS-2000 bus. Gross mass: 4,000 kg (8,800 lb).

QZS 3 - Navigation satellite built by Mitsubishi Electric (MELCO) for JAXA, Japan. Used the DS-2000 bus. Gross mass: 4,700 kg (10,300 lb).

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