Another failed tether experiment

[MeteorWayne]

This technology seems to be very wonky in every attempt so far.<br /><br />From spaceflightnow <br /><br /><br />Space tether experiment<br />hits major snag<br />Posted: September 25, 2007<br /><br />A small capsule the size of a beach ball was stranded in Earth orbit early Tuesday after an attempt to return the craft from space via a revolutionary technique using a nearly 20-mile-long tether. <br /><br />The 12-pound Fotino re-entry capsule was to be released from the tether to parachute to a landing in Kazakhstan shortly before 0800 GMT (4:00 a.m. EDT) Tuesday, but the deployment procedure apparently hit a snag, according to the European Space Agency, a co-sponsor of the mission. <br /><br />"We are currently assessing the orbit of Fotino to understand when and where the capsule will return to Earth on its parachute," wrote Fabio de Pascale, integration manager for YES2, on Delta-Utec's Web site. <br /><br />Fotino carries a radio beacon to broadcast its location and science data after landing to receivers up to 200 miles away. The spherical capsule also carries an impact-proof beacon to communicate with the satellite-based ARGOS system to assist with recovery. <br /><br />Early estimates predict the capsule will re-enter the atmosphere between four and 11 days from now, according to Michiel Kruijff, Delta-Utec technical director and lead engineer for the YES2 mission. <br /><br />Batteries aboard Fotino should be able to last until re-entry, giving officials hope of successfully recovering the capsule after it lands. The batteries control the radio beacons and parachute system, and on-board electronics are designed to handle cases like this, Kruijff said. <br /><br />A GPS unit was removed from the mission at the last minute due to an unexplained problem, Kruijff told Spaceflight Now. <br /><br />Telemetry relayed from the system's Foton mothership indicated the tether unreeled to a length of about eig <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[nexium]

I'm disapointed. I was hoping for long and stong tethers next year, but I suppose we will be at 30 kilometers and puny till we have several sucesses. Neil

 

[PistolPete]

Dang, and I was hoping that that one would work. Perhaps next time (if there is a next time) they won't pause at 3.5 km. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><em>So, again we are defeated. This victory belongs to the farmers, not us.</em></p><p><strong>-Kambei Shimada from the movie Seven Samurai</strong></p> </div>

 

[adrenalynn]

Anyone have the freqs? Salvage laws and all that. Might be worth a few bucks to someone. Finders Keepers. [just on the off chance it gets stuck out in the tree in my backyard or somethan'] <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>.</p><p><font size="3">bipartisan</font>  (<span style="color:blue" class="pointer"><span class="pron"><font face="Lucida Sans Unicode" size="2">bī-pär'tĭ-zən, -sən</font></span></span>) [Adj.]  Maintaining the ability to blame republications when your stimulus plan proves to be a devastating failure.</p><p><strong><font color="#ff0000"><font color="#ff0000">IMPE</font><font color="#c0c0c0">ACH</font> <font color="#0000ff"><font color="#c0c0c0">O</font>BAMA</font>!</font></strong></p> </div>

 

[billslugg]

<font color="yellow">"The batteries control the radio beacons and parachute system."</font><br /><br />NASA Genesis folks say: "We don't need no stinkin' parachute!" <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[adrenalynn]

That kinda depends on whose dog it lands on, does it? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>.</p><p><font size="3">bipartisan</font>  (<span style="color:blue" class="pointer"><span class="pron"><font face="Lucida Sans Unicode" size="2">bī-pär'tĭ-zən, -sən</font></span></span>) [Adj.]  Maintaining the ability to blame republications when your stimulus plan proves to be a devastating failure.</p><p><strong><font color="#ff0000"><font color="#ff0000">IMPE</font><font color="#c0c0c0">ACH</font> <font color="#0000ff"><font color="#c0c0c0">O</font>BAMA</font>!</font></strong></p> </div>