Multi-Application Survivable Tether

The Multi-Application Survivable Tether (MAST) experiment was an in-space investigation designed to use picosatellite spacecraft connected by tethers to better understand the survivability of tethers in space. It was launched as a secondary payload on a Dnepr rocket on 17 April 2007 as a part of the CubeSat program. It included three picosatellites which were intended to separate and deploy a 1 km (0.62 mi) tether. The experiment hardware was designed under a NASA Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) collaboration between Tethers Unlimited, Inc. (TUI) and Stanford University, with TUI developing the tether, tether deployer, tether inspection subsystem, satellite avionics, and software, and Stanford students developing the satellite structures and assisting with the avionics design.^[1]

The experiment is currently on-orbit.^{[dated info]} As of 25 April 2007, TUI had made contact with the "Gadget" picosatellite, but not with "Ted", the tether-deployer picosatellite.^[2] Researchers believe Ted has separated from Gadget, and at least a portion of the tether has been deployed.^{[dated info]}

Satellites

The MAST experiment consists of three picosatellites launched together as a stack. The entire stack was about the size of a loaf of bread.^{[citation needed]}

Gadget

The middle satellite in the stack, called "Gadget", is the tether inspector. Gadget was designed to slowly crawl up and down the tether after deployment, taking pictures as it goes.^{[citation needed]} As of 9 May 2007, the MAST team has downloaded over 1 MB of data from Gadget. Gadget's GPS receiver has acquired an almanac from the GPS satellites, but apparently has not yet achieved a trajectory solution.^{[dated info]}

Ted

"Ted", the tether deployer satellite, is at one end of the stack. Researchers were unable to establish contact with Ted,^{[citation needed]} and remain uncertain of its status.

Ralph

"Ralph" is at the other end of the stack, and is described as simply a "tether endmass". Its design did include a radio, but the groundstation has not received any signals from Ralph.^{[citation needed]} They believe Ralph's battery charge has dropped below the level needed to sustain radio operation.^{[dated info]}

See also

• Tether propulsion
• Tether satellite
• List of CubeSats

References

1. ^ "The MAST Experiment". Tethers Unlimited. http://www.tethers.com/Missions.html. 
2. ^ "MAST Blog". Tethers Unlimited. http://www.tethers.com/MAST_Blog.html. 

External links

• "MAST Blog". http://www.tethers.com/MAST_Blog.html.