Building CubeSats to test electrodynamic tethering in space with MiTEE

February 13, 2020
Mi-TEE (Miniature Tether Electrodynamics Experiment) is a University of Engineering project directed by Prof. Brian Gilchrist that aims to test the tethering technology in space.

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Mi-TEE (Miniature Tether Electrodynamics Experiment) is a University of Engineering project that aims to test the tethering technology in space. The project was selected by NASA in 2015 as part of its CubeSat Launch Initiative. The experiment is currently expected to launch in 2020.

Electrodynamic tethering could enable coordinated fleets of tens to hundreds of miniature satellites, transforming the way we monitor natural disasters, space weather and the broader space environment by eliminating the need for propellant to maintain a proper orbit and formation

The project is currently organized through U-M’s Multidisciplinary Design Program, and is advised by Brian Gilchrist, professor of electrical engineering and computer science and director of U-M’s Space Physics Research Laboratory (SPRL).

Watch the students working on the project