Is a skyhook possible?
While no skyhook has yet been built, there have been a number of flight experiments exploring various aspects of the space tether concept in general.
How do tethers work in space?
A tether in Earth orbit interacts with the Earth’s magnetosphere due to the relative orbital velocities (in LEO systems the orbital velocity of the tether is greater than the rotational velocity of the geomagnetic field, this force is drag on the tether); the motion of the conductor across the magnetic field induces a …
Is anyone building a space tether?
NASA says the basic concept of a space elevator is sound, and researchers around the world are optimistic that one can be built. The Obayashi Corp., a global construction firm based in Tokyo, has said it will build one by 2050, and China wants to build one as soon as 2045.
What is tether in science?
One of the greatest unrequited legends of outer space is the tether. Tethers, long strands of material, hold the promise of stabilizing satellites, generating electricity, and allowing easy transportation. Clarke, where a tether is constructed that connects the ground to geosynchronous orbit.
Why does nobody use the skyhook?
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on why players don’t use the skyhook “The reason that young kids today learn how to shoot hook shots is because everybody is so enamored with the 3-point shot. So the kids don’t want two points. They want to go out there in the stratosphere and shoot 3-pointers.”
What does the phrase skyhook mean?
: a hook conceived as being suspended from the sky.
How much does a space tether cost?
A space elevator built according to the Edwards proposal is estimated to cost $6 billion.
How long would a space tether need to be?
4,960 kilometers
An untapered space elevator cable would need a material capable of sustaining a length of 4,960 kilometers (3,080 mi) of its own weight at sea level to reach a geostationary altitude of 35,786 km (22,236 mi) without yielding.
Are carbon nanotubes strong enough for a space elevator?
A natural choice for constructing a space elevator cable are carbon pipes only nanometers or billionths of a meter wide. Previous research has found that such carbon nanotubes can prove 100 times stronger than steel at one-sixth the weight.
How high up is space?
A common definition of space is known as the Kármán Line, an imaginary boundary 100 kilometers (62 miles) above mean sea level. In theory, once this 100 km line is crossed, the atmosphere becomes too thin to provide enough lift for conventional aircraft to maintain flight.
How does an electrodynamic tether work?
Electrodynamic tethers are long, thin conductive wires deployed in space that can be used to generate power by removing kinetic energy from their orbital motion, or to produce thrust when adding energy from an on-board source.
Did anyone ever blocked the skyhook?
The skyhook was rarely blocked, and it was accomplished by only a few players like Wilt Chamberlain and Manute Bol. Magic Johnson used a similar shooting technique during the 1987 NBA Finals, which he called his “baby hook” in deference to teammate Abdul-Jabbar.