SPHERES

The Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient Experimental Satellites (SPHERES) experiment is a testbed consisting of three 8-inch-diameter (200 mm) miniaturized satellites that can operate in a variety of environments, including inside the International Space Station (ISS). The MIT Space Systems Laboratory developed the experiment to provide the Air Force and NASA with a long term, replenishable, and upgradable testbed for formation flight. It will be used to validate high risk control, metrology, and autonomy technologies. The technologies are critical to the operation of distributed satellite and docking missions such as TechSat21, Starlight, Terrestrial Planet Finder, and Orbital Express. The SPHERES concept was inspired by the Training Remotes from Star Wars.

Read more about SPHERES:  Description, Timeline, See Also

Famous quotes containing the word spheres:

    The world has already learned that woman has other virtues than meekness, patience, humility and endurance. She possesses courage above all fear, and a will that knows no obstacles; and when these are called forth by some great emergency, false modesty is trampled in the dust, and spheres are scattered to the winds.
    A. Holley, U.S. women’s magazine contributor. The Lily, p. 38 (May 1852)

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    Eric Hoffer (1902–1983)

    It launch’d forth filament, filament, filament, out of itself,
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    And you O my soul where you stand,
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    Walt Whitman (1819–1892)