The tethered satellite is supposed to generate electricity as it sweeps through Earth's ionosphere and magnetic field.

Mission planners have allowed five hours for the tethered satellite to be unreeled slowly to its full length, placing the satellite 12 miles above Atlantis.

The planet consists of a massive detailed brass sphere, with four tethered satellites: two cubes and two spheres.

The tethered satellite was released on Tuesday, one day later than planned.

Variable Gravity Research Facility (xGRF), concept with tethered rotating satellites, perhaps a Bigelow expandable module and a spent upper stage as a counterweight.

Until the split, the tethered satellite had produced as much as 3,500 volts of electricity and 1,000 watts of power.

Giuseppe Colombo, physicist and astronomer, NASA consultant and early proponent of tethered satellites.

In contrast to the original space elevator design (a tethered satellite), a space fountain is a tremendously tall tower extending up from the ground.

Scientists had hoped to prove with this flight that tethered satellites could be used to power spacecraft and drop packages to Earth.

In 1979 the USA NASA examined the feasibility of the idea and gave direction to the study of tethered systems, especially tethered satellites.