AIRSEDS-S, Atmospheric/Ionospheric Research Small Expendable Deployer System (Shuttle Based), and TSS-2, Tethered Satellite System, are tethered systems that will provide a means for NASA to explore the Earth's upper atmosphere and conduct aerothermodynamic research in the altitude range between 250-105 km, altitudes which cannot currently be explored using balloons or aircraft. The proposed innovation is to develop a robust yet smaller and modular attitude control system for a tethered end mass for support during deployment, steady-state operations and retrieval. The design calls for three-axis control utilizing the existing gravity gradient, a NOMEX jacket along the lower two meters of the tether, and a single variable speed reaction wheel. A boom/wing system will be connected to the probe capsule to provide stiffness and control system desaturation in the yaw direction below an altitude of 180 km.Commercial Applications:Direct applications of the NASA SBIR research include the AIRSEDS-S tethered end mass, the TSS-2 satellite and future proposed SMEX based tethered systems. It is also planned to spin off the developed technologies to several other areas including small satellite systems, automotive systems, manufacturing and marine navigation. The commercialization program for the SBIR research will be conducted in conjunction with the AIRSEDS-S mission commericalization program and the AIRSEDS K-12 program, our education program to support the K-12 market place. In addition, the results and experience from the SBIR research will be used towards growing The Michigan Technic Corporation's opportunities in the commercialization of tethers in space.
