The success of many missions and the general welfare of the system rely on good tether management practices. This includes knowledge of the concerns and tether handling skills. In this section, we will look at the various methods of handling tether and best practices to employ during operations.
Methods for handling the tether include using a reel or TDS, which stands for Tether Deployment System, coiling the tether using the figure eight method, which can be free form or on a frame, over-under coiling, and in some cases unspooling the tether and laying it on the deck may be an appropriate technique for some applications.