In order to investigate the performance of photomultiplier tube to meet the needs of on-orbit application requirements of the space remote sensing instruments, we construct a set of quantum efficiency calibration system based on standard vacuum phototube with deuterium lamp, vacuum ultraviolet monochromator, photomultiplier tube, and so on. According to the principle of the cathode quantum efficiency measurement about photomultiplier tube, the photomultiplier tube is transformed into phototube without electron beam multiplying, and the standard transferring from the standard vacuum phototube to the phototube R2078 is realized. On this basis, direct measurement of the quantum efficiency of phototube in ultraviolet-vacuum ultraviolet (UV-VUV) range of 150-300 nm is realized for the first time in China. The measurement results show that, owing to the window material is fused silica, the phototube R2078 has the lowest transmissivity at 155 nm, so the quantum efficiency obtained at 155 nm is the smallest, and the quantum efficiency at 230 nm is the largest. Finally, the uncertainty of the measurement results is analyzed and estimated, and the total synthetic uncertainty is 3.4%.