Longest-ever space tether fails to deploy, flings capsule towards Earth

We've seen some pretty wild ideas for space tethers, but it seems like actually executing is a little trickier than people expect -- a joint Russian Space Agency / ESA Young Engineers Satellite 2 mission just screeched to a halt as the deployment of an 18-mile space tether went awry. The project, which was to involve the longest object ever deployed in space, was part of a challenge issued to European university students to safely return an object from space, but failed when the the capsule accidentally released after just 5 miles of tether had unwound. The team thinks the idea still has merit, saying that "they are extremely satisfied and would like to do more mission testing." Here's hoping the next time goes a little smoother.

Read -- NewScientist article on the mishap
Read -- Video of how the mission was supposed to go

[2MB @ Sep 27th 2007 8:11PM]

Damnit! The Zerg Devourers are at it again!

[Fruition @ Sep 27th 2007 8:14PM]

In Soviet Russia, tethers deploy you!

[Pc_Madness @ Sep 28th 2007 12:11AM]

This isn't Slashdot, don't bring those kind of posts here. (goes for the guy below you as well)

[riggs @ Sep 28th 2007 9:04AM]

i guess you havent been on here much?^

[Fruition @ Sep 28th 2007 9:17AM]

Uhh, it's not just on Slashdot...

http://www.ytmnd.com/search?q=in+soviet+russia&x=0&y=0

This is what is called a "meme". It's across the intarwebs and you might as well embrace it... as your new overlord. :P

[teej @ Sep 28th 2007 11:36AM]

it's Family Guy.

[Kris S. @ Sep 27th 2007 8:18PM]

I for one, welcome our robotic overlords.

:dodgy:

[Brad @ Sep 27th 2007 8:27PM]

Not the right post. Alien overlords, perhaps. Keep robot overlords for all the iRobot press releases and crazy Japanese / Korean releases.

[Josh @ Sep 27th 2007 8:22PM]

but can it play doom?

[greg @ Sep 27th 2007 8:59PM]

ItS a f***ing tether so no IT WON'T PLAY DOOM!

[scott @ Sep 27th 2007 8:44PM]

I'm in ur capsulez, not deploy'n yer tetherz.

[telepheedian @ Sep 27th 2007 8:49PM]

Wow, the only question that hasn't been asked yet is: Will it blend?

[Matt Welke @ Sep 27th 2007 9:17PM]

"18 km? There was supposed to be 18 MILES of tether, you idiot!"
"Oh... my bad."
"Curse you, metric-imperial conversion confusion!!"

[paul34 @ Sep 27th 2007 10:23PM]

Ahh man I so went to Wal-Mart yesterday looking for some good old space tether, and they didn't have any!

Now I know where it all went!!

[Xzavier @ Sep 27th 2007 10:26PM]

If at first you don't succeed, Try Try Again!

[Darkest Daze @ Sep 28th 2007 3:47AM]

"Mission Testing"? What the hell kind of mission testing involves measuring a rope correctly? Maybe next time they shouldn't go down to Home Depot and ask the guy who makes $7/hr to measure 18 miles of space tether. Mission complete.

[CapnVan @ Sep 28th 2007 7:34AM]

I, for one, appreciate that they're "extremely satisfied."

How do you supposed they'd feel if they hadn't failed?

[L. Cyphre @ Sep 28th 2007 7:55AM]

Orgasmic.

[Damian @ Sep 28th 2007 9:08AM]

"flings capsule towards Earth"

Anybody wondering how this part turned out?

[Tucker @ Sep 28th 2007 11:19AM]

I imagine it burned up when it hit the atmosphere like **zomg POOF!!!!**