NASA/CR-1XXX, NASA CONTRACTOR REPORT: TETHERS IN SPACE HANDBOOK (3RD EDITION) (DEC-1997)

NASA/CR-1XXX, NASA CONTRACTOR REPORT: TETHERS IN SPACE HANDBOOK (3RD EDITION) (DEC-1997)., Edited by M.L. Cosmo and E.C. Lorenzini Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory for NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. Grant NAG8-1160 monitored by C.C. Rupp M.L. Cosmo and E.C. Lorenzini, Principal Investigators., A new edition of the Tethers in Space Handbook was needed after the last edition published in 1989. Tether-related activities have been quite busy in the 90's. We have had the flights of TSS1 and TSS1-R, SEDS-1 and -2, PMG, TIPS and OEDIPUS. In less than three years there have been one international Conference on Tethers in Space, held in Washington DC, and three workshops, held at ESA/Estec in the Netherlands, at ISAS in Japan and at the University of Michigan, Ann Harbor. The community has grown and we finally have real flight data to compare our models with. The life of spaceborne tethers has not been always easy and we got our dose of setbacks, but we feel pretty optimistic for the future. We are just stepping out of the pioneering stage to start to use tethers for space science and technological applications. As we are writing this handbook TiPs, a NRL tether project is flying above our heads. There is no emphasis in affirming that as of today spaceborne tethers are a reality and their potential is far from being fully appreciated. Consequently, a large amount of new information had to be incorporated into this new edition.