Alongside the HTC-made handset are an altitude and orbit control system, two propulsion setups and a Linux-based computer with a "high-speed" processor.

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The Pyramid acts as a home base and remote control unit for the Orbit and features a custom-designed, reprogrammable micro-controller.

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The control unit ends up in a lower orbit, but it can then use solar power and the electrodynamic properties of the tether to return to its original orbit.

ECONOMIST: Spaceflight on a shoestring | The