SPHERES Tether Demo

iss050e013146 (12/1/2016) --- NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough and European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Thomas Pesquet during the Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites Tether Demo, in the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Pressurized Module (JPM). The SPHERES Tether Demo studies the dynamics of a tethered capture object and a “space tug” chase vehicle, improving computer programs needed for removing space debris as well as capturing scientific samples from other planets.