SPARCS CubeSats: Electrodynamic Tether Test in Space
- As the number of satellites in low Earth orbit increases, so does the risk of space becoming impassable due to debris.
- SPARCS-A, a 1U CubeSat, serves as a communications platform, designed to communicate with SPARCS-B.
- Electrodynamic tethers are essentially long, conductive wires that generate a small magnetic field when electric current runs through them.
Sharif University in Tehran is spearheading the SPARCS mission, a project utilizing CubeSats to combat the burgeoning issue of space debris. This initiative, detailed on News Directory 3, centers on tests of electrodynamic tethers (EDTs), a primary_keyword, designed for deorbiting satellites. SPARCS-A and SPARCS-B, comprising the mission, will employ a tether, up to 12 meters in length, to harness the Lorentz force, altering satellite orbits without fuel. These novel CubeSats will also monitor critical secondary_keyword: radiation levels. This data, along with the EDT technology, could revolutionize space junk removal and enhance future satellite operations.The project promises to provide valuable insights into a critical orbital environment. Discover what’s next in this exciting frontier.
Iranian CubeSat Tests Electrodynamic Tether for Space Junk Removal
Updated June 23, 2025
As the number of satellites in low Earth orbit increases, so does the risk of space becoming impassable due to debris. Researchers at the Sharif University of Technology in Tehran are working on a solution. Their Spacecraft for Advanced Research and Cooperative Studies (SPARCS) mission will test an electrodynamic tether (EDT) and inter-satellite communication system. The mission will also gather real-time data on radiation levels in orbit.
The SPARCS mission uses two CubeSats. SPARCS-A, a 1U CubeSat, serves as a communications platform, designed to communicate with SPARCS-B. The second satellite, a 2U CubeSat, carries the EDT in addition to the communication system. The EDT,up to 12 meters long,deploys using a servomotor,monitored by a camera.
Electrodynamic tethers are essentially long, conductive wires that generate a small magnetic field when electric current runs through them. This magnetic field interacts with Earth’s magnetic field, creating a Lorentz force.By orienting the EDT, the satellite can adjust its orbit without fuel. this force can raise the satellite to a higher orbit or, more importantly, slow it down for a controlled atmospheric re-entry. This controlled re-entry is key to addressing the growing problem of space junk.
Previous missions, including KITE from Jaxa and Mite from the University of Michigan, attempted to use EDTs for orbital changes. However, those missions were unsuccessful. A follow-up mission, MiTEE-2, is planned with a larger EDT than SPARCS.
SPARCS also includes a dosimeter to monitor the radiation habitat. Radiation hardening of electronics is crucial for mission success, but it is indeed costly. Understanding the radiation environment in this popular orbital path can help engineers make informed and cost-effective design choices.
Engineers have finalized the mission design and simulations. They are now building an engineering model of the two CubeSats to validate the design and test its real-world implementation before launch. Political instability could delay the project. If accomplished, SPARCS could be the first demonstration of an EDT system in space, offering a potential solution for space junk removal and improving satellite operations in low Earth orbit.
What’s next
If testing proceeds as planned, the SPARCS mission could launch in the near future, providing valuable data on electrodynamic tethers and the radiation environment in low Earth orbit.This data could pave the way for future missions focused on space debris removal and more efficient satellite operations.