Tethered satellite deployment. View of the second Tethered Satellite System (TSS-2) at the start of its deployment. The supportive boom is seen. TSS-2 was designed to be reeled out to 20 kilometres from Shuttle Columbia in orbit. The purpose was to investigate the possibilities of generating electricity as the conducting tether passed through the Earth's magnetic field. Unfortunately, when reeled out to about 10 kilometres the tether broke and the satellite was lost. This followed a previously aborted mission in 1992 when the tether reeling mechanism jammed. NASA did, however, gather data from the experiment. TSS-2 was carried on Mission STS-75 of 22 February to 9 March 1996.

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