Space Shuttle Project

Pictured here is a Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-46) onboard photo of the Tethered Satellite System (TSS-1) deployment. The Tethered Satellite System (TSS) was a cooperative development effort by the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and NASA. Combined efforts resulted in the capability of deploying and retrieving a satellite which is attached by a wire tether from distances up to 100-km from the Orbiter. These free-flying satellites are used as observation platforms outside of the Orbiter.