MiTEE 1

MiTEE [University of Michigan]

MiTEE (Miniature Tether Electrodynamics Experiment) is a CubeSat mission developed by the University of Michigan to utilize CubeSat capabilities to deploy a picosatellite body of approximately 8 cm × 8 cm × 2 cm from a 3U CubeSat to demonstrate and assess an ultra-small satellite electrodynamic tether in the space environment where the fundamental dynamics and plasma electrodynamics.

The Miniature Tether Electrodynamics Experiment (MiTEE) mission will utilize CubeSat capabilities to deploy a picosatellite body of approximately 8 cm × 8 cm × 2 cm from a 3U CubeSat to demonstrate and assess an ultra-small satellite electrodynamic tether in the space environment where the fundamental dynamics and plasma electrodynamics. The miniature electrodynamic tethers (few meters long) have potential to provide propellantless propulsion, passive 2-axis attitude stabilization, and enhanced communication utility to the next generation of small satellites.

It was selected in 2015 by NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI) to be launched as part of the ELaNa program. It will be launched on the ELaNa-20 mission on a dedicated LauncherOne.