Metal wires could cut the operating costs of the International Space Station
by hundreds of millions of dollars. In 1995 and 1996, space shuttle crews
experimented with satellites tethered to the craft by 20-kilometre cords.
Neither experiment was a complete success, but the data they gathered convinced
NASA that bare-wire tethers could generate power for the station as they cut
through the Earth’s magnetosphere. The tethers could replace up to 4 tonnes of
solid fuel.
More from Â鶹´«Ã½
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Health
No young women have died of cervical cancer in England for years
News
Health
Chilling the body with drugs could limit brain damage from stroke
News
Comment
The bigger the lizard, the bigger the Wiki page, discovers ecologist
Regulars
Technology
Â鶹´«Ã½ recommends an excellent look at the future of work
Culture
Popular articles
Trending Â鶹´«Ã½ articles
1
A quantum state that lasts forever may finally be within our grasp
2
The secrets to keeping your brain sharp in old age
3
Autism may have two distinct subtypes that vary by brain activity
4
The daring idea that time is an illusion and how we could prove it
5
Has the answer to life's origins been hiding in our cells all along?
6
The last-ditch plan to save coral reefs from utter destruction
7
The best new science-fiction books of June 2026
8
Arctic Ocean reaches tipping point that could be dire for marine life
9
Sperm have been made magnetic to allow IVF inside the body
10
Start-up is building the first data centre to use human brain cells
